Pair of Black Holes

Physics and the meaning of life

Sabine Hossenfelder

Many have argued that science can provide data, but can't answer the real mysteries of the universe, yet Sabine Hossenfelder opposes this position. She asserts that through physics, we can make progress on the existential issues which have gripped philoso

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Instructor
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    Sabine Hossenfelder
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About the Course

Many have argued that science can provide data, but can't answer the real mysteries of the universe, yet Sabine Hossenfelder opposes this position. She asserts that through physics, we can make progress on the existential issues which have gripped philosophers for centuries.

By the end of this course, you will have learned:

  • How general relativity understands the 'present'
  • Some of the consequences of Einstien's understanding of the speed of light
  • Can information be destoryed
  • Could the building blocks of the universe be different?
  • What questions can science not answer

 

As part of the course there are in-video quiz questions to consolidate your learning, and discussion boards to have your say.

IAI Academy courses are designed to be challenging but accessible to the interested student. No specialist knowledge is required.

Practical general relativity

Where is the present and can information be destroyed?

How did the universe begin?

Tiny changes to constants could make life impossible

Do copies of us exist

Can particles think

Science and religion aren't at war

 

About the Instructor

  • Sabine Hossenfelder

    Sabine Hossenfelder is a theoretical physicist, author and musician who researches quantum gravity. She is a research fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, author of Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray (2018) and Existential Physics: A Scientist’s Guide to Life’s Biggest Questions (2022) and a regular contributor to Forbes. She is known for her popular YouTube channel Science Without The Gobbledygook.

     

Course Syllabus

  • Part one: Introduction to existential physics
    Was the universe made for us? What is consciousness? And is it possible that the universe is conscious? Does the universe think?
  • Part two: Tiny changes to constants could make life impossible
    How much can science tell us about the human condition? Does science undermine the concept of free will?