Do you believe individual scientific theories will become too complex for any human to comprehend within a lifetime? My personal view is that this is already the case in general, in that no-one may be an expert in every subdiscipline of biology, say.
Which period or type of activity in your academic career has been the most fun?
Q about CCC + multiverses (state an overview of this theory and also ask whether an uncountable infinity of aeons is plausible)
You have suggested that wave-function collapse is non-computable; would you suspect it still follows some version of the ever-useful principle of least action, or that we do not at all have the mathematics to describe it?
B
If you were to write the Emperor's New Mind now, is there anything you would change?
Loosely, mathematics is grounded in abstract principles that stand for all time, whereas physics is rooted in changing understandings of the real world. Accordingly, in which field have you found research to be more rewarding?
Where do you fall, if anywhere, on the spectrum between Platonist and structural views of mathematics?
What are your opinions about different models of quantum gravity?
C
D
Created Mar 10, 2026
Dive into the mind of a leading thinker as they reflect on the frontiers of knowledge. This tier list explores profound questions spanning the nature of reality, the evolution of scientific understanding, and the very foundations of mathematics. From the plausibility of multiverses and the intricacies of quantum gravity to the personal joys of academic pursuits and the potential for scientific theories to outpace human comprehension, these are the musings that shape our understanding of the universe and our place within it. Consider where you'd place these ideas on a scale of groundbreaking to speculative.
Do you believe individual scientific theories will become too complex for any human to comprehend within a lifetime? My personal view is that this is already the case in general, in that no-one may be an expert in every subdiscipline of biology, say.
Which period or type of activity in your academic career has been the most fun?
Q about CCC + multiverses (state an overview of this theory and also ask whether an uncountable infinity of aeons is plausible)
You have suggested that wave-function collapse is non-computable; would you suspect it still follows some version of the ever-useful principle of least action, or that we do not at all have the mathematics to describe it?
B Tier
If you were to write the Emperor's New Mind now, is there anything you would change?
Loosely, mathematics is grounded in abstract principles that stand for all time, whereas physics is rooted in changing understandings of the real world. Accordingly, in which field have you found research to be more rewarding?
Where do you fall, if anywhere, on the spectrum between Platonist and structural views of mathematics?
What are your opinions about different models of quantum gravity?