Best Wolfram Physics Podcasts (2025)

1
Aggregation – how the Wolfram model weaves the future – with Stephen Wolfram 8:51

5d ago8:51

8:51

In the previous excerpt from my conversation with Stephen Wolfram, I asked him how I can remain a single, coherent, persistent consciousness in a branching universe. In this excerpt, we went deeper into this question. As a conscious observer, I have a single thread of experience. So if the universe branches into many timelines, why don’t I branch i…

1
When the universe branches, what happens to me? with Stephen Wolfram 12:32

2M ago12:32

12:32

When the universe branches, we branch with it. Those branches don’t remain forever apart. They come back together. So we, as conscious observers, are rescued from splitting into an immense number ever-so-slightly different versions of ourselves. When the branches of the universe – and the versions of ourselves – come back together, we don’t worry t…

1
What is the causal graph in Wolfram Physics? 15:38

2M ago15:38

15:38

The causal graph is at the core of Wolfram Physics. It’s crucial to the derivations of Special Relativity, General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. And if that’s not enough to convince you that you need to know about the causal graph, how about this: The causal graph is a reflection of the nature of causality, the nature of objectivity, the nature…

1
Is everything determined? with Stephen Wolfram 8:03

3M ago8:03

8:03

Is everything that’s ever going to happen in the universe already determined? Or does something else – maybe randomness, maybe free will – play a role? Stephen Wolfram’s answer to this question is straightforward: the ruliad is fully determined. But there’s a twist. The ruliad is determined, but how we observe the evolution of the universe depends …

1
Why is space three-dimensional? with Stephen Wolfram 19:36

4M ago19:36

19:36

Hypergraphs can have any number of dimensions. They can be 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, 4.81-dimensional or, in the limit, ∞-dimensional. So how does the three-dimensional space we observe emerge from the hypergraph-based Wolfram model? Why is space three-dimensional? Stephen Wolfram’s surprising answer to this questions goes deep into space, time…

1
The first wow for Stephen Wolfram 8:52

4M ago8:52

8:52

Stephen Wolfram reveals that his first major wow along the path towards a fundamental theory of physics was his realization that General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics are the same theory, played out in different kinds of space. Many other dominos have fallen along the way, from the derivation of Einstein’s equations to applications of the ruliad…

1
5 reasons to take Wolfram Physics seriously 6:37

4M ago6:37

6:37

It feels like everyone has their pet Theory of Everything these days. So why should you take my preferred Theory of Everything seriously? Well, give me 5 minutes, and I’ll give you 5 reasons why I find Wolfram Physics more compelling than anything else that’s happened in physics in my lifetime... ...and maybe you’ll want to take it seriously too. —…

1
Why does the universe exist? 16:58

6M ago16:58

16:58

Here’s a question. Why does the universe exist? Why is there something rather than nothing? One of Stephen Wolfram’s boldest claims is that he has the answer. Let me know whether you’re convinced by his argument! — Ideas: Wolfram Physics Mathematical Platonism Occam’s Razor The Last Theory People: Stephen Wolfram Jonathan Gorard — The Last Theory i…

1
Causality ain't what you think it is 18:21

8M ago18:21

18:21

Do you know what causality is? If you do, let me know, because I’m not sure. I’ve never come across a conception of causality that makes sense to me. After all, our universe seems to follow simple equations like Einstein’s equations, and there’s no mention of causality in these equations. It makes me think that there’s no such thing as causality. U…

1
What precisely is causal invariance? 15:10

9M ago15:10

15:10

Causal invariance is a crucial concept in Wolfram Physics. It’s how we get special relativity from the Wolfram model. It’s how we get quantum mechanics from the Wolfram model. So what precisely is causal invariance? This question will take us deep into the multiway graph, to an even deeper question: what is causality? — What is the multiway graph? …

1
Jonathan Gorard: the complete first interview 2:48:59

11M ago2:48:59

2:48:59

I’ve heard from many of you that you’d like the whole of my conversation with Jonathan Gorard in a single podcast. So here it is, the complete first interview. These three hours are a brilliant exposition of Wolfram Physics from a figure whose contributions to the project are second to none. — Jonathan Gorard Jonathan Gorard at The Wolfram Physics …

1
In defence of Stephen Wolfram 16:44

1y ago16:44

16:44

You like Stephen Wolfram, right? I mean, if he’s to be believed, he has reinvented physics, not to mention philosophy. How could you not like such a thinker? Well... it turns out that there are plenty of people who don’t like Stephen Wolfram... or his physics... or his philosophy. Here are four criticisms of Stephen Wolfram I regularly hear... ...a…

1
Beyond physics: applying the Wolfram model in biology, chemistry, mathematics with Jonathan Gorard 13:30

1y ago13:30

13:30

In this final excerpt from our conversation in October 2022, Jonathan Gorard explains how ideas from Wolfram Physics can be applied in fields beyond physics, including biology, chemistry and mathematics. He describes the concept of compositionality, and digs deeper into why the hypergraph is able to model so much of our universe. — Jonathan Gorard …

1
Who is Stephen Wolfram? 9:36

1y ago9:36

9:36

You know who Stephen Wolfram is, right? Whether you love him or, you know, don’t love him, there’s no denying that Stephen Wolfram has founded a host of fascinating projects... most of them named Wolfram-something-or-other. What are all these Wolfram-branded projects? Who is Stephen Wolfram? — Some of the things Stephen Wolfram created: 1987 Wolfra…

1
Where's the evidence for Wolfram Physics? with Jonathan Gorard 14:32

1+ y ago14:32

14:32

I asked Jonathan Gorard the question I’m asked the most: can the Wolfram model make testable predictions about reality, predictions that differ from those of general relativity and quantum mechanics, predictions that might prove that Wolfram Physics is right? Jonathan showed how the Wolfram model might shed light on some of the most mysterious phen…

1
The knowledge hypergraph 1:03

1+ y ago1:03

1:03

The Open Web Mind is a protocol for shared human intelligence, based on the knowledge hypergraph. Take a look at this quick introduction for subscribers to The Last Theory, then jump to the 2-minute trailer on the new channel. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to subscribe to the new Open Web Mind channel, podcast and newsletter. If you…

1
Are electrons too big to simulate? with Jonathan Gorard 5:56

1+ y ago5:56

5:56

How big are electrons compared to the hypergraph? Is one electron formed of 10 nodes, or 10100 nodes? And if it’s 10100 nodes, might it prove impossible to simulate an electron on any computer we can possibly imagine? When I asked Jonathan Gorard this question, he took us on a tour of the scales of the universe, from the Planck scale to the Hubble …

1
How to measure the curvature of space 15:56

1+ y ago15:56

15:56

What if you’re inside a universe, and you want to measure the curvature of space? It’s important because getting a measure of the curvature of the hypergraph takes us one step further in Jonathan Gorard’s derivation of General Relativity from Wolfram Physics. Einstein’s equations relate the curvature of space to the presence of matter. So if we’re …

1
A toy model of particles with Jonathan Gorard 8:01

1+ y ago8:01

8:01

In this excerpt from my conversation with Jonathan Gorard, he proposes that particles in Wolfram Physics might be persistent topological obstructions in the hypergraph. He starts with a toy model in which elementary particles are non-planar tangles moving and interacting in an otherwise planar hypergraph. But he doesn’t stop there. He explains that…

1
How to tell if space is curved 11:38

1+ y ago11:38

11:38

What if you’re inside a universe, and you want to know whether space is curved? The reason I’m asking is that according to Einstein’s general theory of relativity, our universe is curved, by the presence of matter. If Wolfram Physics is to be a true model of our universe, then the space represented by the hypergraph must also be curved by the prese…

1
How special is general relativity? with Jonathan Gorard 6:16

1+ y ago6:16

6:16

I asked Jonathan Gorard what it felt like when he realized that general relativity can be derived from the hypergraph. His answer took us in an unexpected direction. If the Wolfram model is to be an accurate model of our universe, then it must give us the Einstein equations. But what if any old model with any old rules can give us the Einstein equa…

1
Why scientific theories need not make predictions 13:08

1+ y ago13:08

13:08

In my exploration of Wolfram Physics, I’ve come across one objection more than any other. Over and over again, people have told me that the Wolfram model must be rejected because it makes no predictions. I could respond by saying that Wolfram Physics does make predictions. It predicts Einstein’s equations. It predicts Schrödinger’s equation. But it…

1
How to derive general relativity from Wolfram Physics with Jonathan Gorard 13:38

1+ y ago13:38

13:38

Here’s a masterclass from Jonathan Gorard. One of the most compelling results to come out of the Wolfram Physics is Jonathan’s derivation of the Einstein equations from the hypergraph. Whenever I hear anyone criticize the Wolfram model for bearing no relation to reality, I tell them this: Jonathan Gorard has proved that general relativity can be de…

1
How to derive quantum mechanics from Wolfram Physics with Jonathan Gorard 15:34

1+ y ago15:34

15:34

Here’s the first of two crucial excerpts from my conversation with Jonathan Gorard. The core idea of Wolfram Physics is that we can model the universe as a hypergraph. If we want this idea to be taken seriously, we’re going to have to derive physics from the hypergraph. The twin pillars of physics, as we know it, are quantum mechanics and general r…

1
Peer review is suffocating science 14:37

1+ y ago14:37

14:37

You know peer review, right? It’s the way academics check each other’s research papers. It ensures that only the good ones are published and prevents the bad ones from getting through. Right? Wrong. Peer review does precisely the opposite of what you think it does. It prevents the good papers from being published, and ensures that only the bad ones…

1
Is the universe a tautology? with Jonathan Gorard 10:30

1+ y ago10:30

10:30

“Sorry, this is now getting very metaphysical,” says Jonathan Gorard part way through this excerpt from our conversation. We start by talking about applying more than one rule to the hypergraph to create rulial multiway systems. This takes us part way towards applying every possible rule, in other words, towards the ruliad. We move on to the idea o…

1
What is a particle in Wolfram’s universe? 17:32

2y ago17:32

17:32

It’s pretty easy to see how three-dimensional space might arise from Wolfram Physics. The hypergraph kinda looks like space, and, for some rules, it kinda looks like it’s three-dimensional. But our universe isn’t just empty three-dimensional space. It’s mostly empty space, but there are also particles moving through that space: photons, neutrinos, …

1
One rule to rule them all? with Jonathan Gorard 7:24

2y ago7:24

7:24

In the early days of the Wolfram Physics Project, Stephen Wolfram seemed to be seeking a single rule that, when applied to the hypergraph, could generate our universe. More recently, however, Wolfram has promoted the idea of the ruliad, the application of every possible rule to the hypergraph. So I asked Jonathan Gorard, who was instrumental in the…

1
John von Neumann and the art of being there 15:36

2y ago15:36

15:36

John von Neumann might be the most important figure in Wolfram Physics prehistory. Whenever any of the most important prerequisites to Wolfram Physics were happening – quantum mechanics, Gödel’s theorem, Turing machines, electronic computers, cellular automata – John von Neumann always seemed to be there. How did John von Neumann always come to be …

1
How to find interesting and plausible rules with Jonathan Gorard 8:24

2y ago8:24

8:24

The Wolfram model allows an infinite number of rules. Some of these rules generate interesting universes that are complex and connected, some of these rules generate plausible universes that look a little like our own, and others... go nowhere. In this excerpt from my conversation with Jonathan Gorard, I ask him how to find rules of Wolfram Physics…

1
Why has there been no progress in physics since 1973? 12:13

2y ago12:13

12:13

The twentieth century was a truly exciting time in physics. From 1905 to 1973, we made extraordinary progress probing the mysteries of the universe: special relativity, general relativity, quantum mechanics, the structure of the atom, the structure of the nucleus, enumerating the elementary particles. Then, in 1973, this extraordinary progress... s…

1
How to find causally invariant rules with Jonathan Gorard 5:13

2y ago5:13

5:13

Causal invariance is a crucial characteristic for any rule of Wolfram Physics. According to Wolfram MathWorld, if a rule is causally invariant, then “no matter which evolution is chosen for a system, the history is the same, in the sense that the same events occur and they have the same causal relationships.” Causal invariance is one of the assumpt…

1
How to knit the universe 10:50

2y ago10:50

10:50

Now that I’ve introduced you to the different kinds of edges that might make up a hypergraph – unary, binary and ternary edges, as well as loops and self-loops – we can have some fun. Some of rules in the Wolfram model give rise to fascinating universes. Today, I’m going to show you a few rules that seem to fabricate space itself in much the same w…

1
Animating the hypergraph with Dugan Hammock 8:30

2y ago8:30

8:30

Dugan Hammock creates beautiful animations of three-dimensional cross-sections through four-dimensional spaces. But his animations aren’t mere mathematical abstractions. He has also applied his geometrical skills to animating the hypergraph of Wolfram Physics, in such a way that it doesn’t jump from frame to frame. In this second part of my recent …

1
Causal invariance versus confluence with Jonathan Gorard 13:29

2y ago13:29

13:29

Causal invariance is one of the most important concepts in the Wolfram model... and one of the most difficult to capture. So I really wanted to hear Jonathan Gorard’s take on it. In this excerpt from our conversation, Jonathan addresses the differences between causal invariance and confluence. Causal invariance means that regardless of the order in…

1
Loops and self‑loops in the hypergraph 10:53

2y ago10:53

10:53

So many of the most complex and most promising graphs and hypergraphs of Wolfram Physics involve loops and self-loops. They can play a crucial role in the evolution of graphs and hypergraphs... which means that they might play a crucial role in the evolution of the universe itself. Loops and self-loops matter, because including them in our models r…

1
Living in the fourth dimension with Dugan Hammock 6:51

2y ago6:51

6:51

Dugan Hammock lives in the fourth dimension. As Jonathan Gorard mentioned in our recent conversation on How to draw the hypergraph in Wolfram Physics, Dugan has worked on plotting the evolution of the hypergraph over time. We get into that in the second part of our conversation, but in this first part, I get to know Dugan as a mathematician and art…

1
Why I changed my mind about computational irreducibility with Jonathan Gorard 10:06

2y ago10:06

10:06

Computational irreducibility means that there are no shortcuts when we apply rules to the hypergraph. I used to think that our existing theories of physics, such as general relativity and quantum mechanics, were examples of computational reducibility: shortcuts that allow us to make higher-level generalizations about how the application of rules to…

1
What’s beyond the universe? 14:38

2y ago14:38

14:38

There are two questions about Wolfram Physics I’m asked a lot: What’s beyond the hypergraph? And what’s between the nodes and edges of the hypergraph? There’s a simple answer to this question. Nothing. There’s nothing beyond the hypergraph. There’s nothing beyond the universe. But it’s not a very effective answer. So here’s a deeper response to the…

1
How to draw the hypergraph in Wolfram Physics with Jonathan Gorard 8:06

2+ y ago8:06

8:06

The hypergraph is the universe. So if we want to see the universe, we need only draw the hypergraph. The question is: how? The nodes and edges of the hypergraph are determined by the rules of Wolfram Physics. But how we draw those nodes and edges is not determined. The drawing of the hypergraph is not the universe, it’s just a way of visualizing th…

1
What is the Big Bang in Wolfram’s universe? 8:32

2+ y ago8:32

8:32

What is the Big Bang in Wolfram Physics? There’s a straightforward answer to that question. It’s the point in the evolution of the universe where the hypergraph goes from nothing to something. It’s the start of the explosion that eventually yields the uncountable particles, planets, stars and galaxies of our universe. So that’s pretty straightforwa…

1
Graphs v hypergraphs in Wolfram Physics with Jonathan Gorard 6:50

2+ y ago6:50

6:50

Here’s a slightly technical question: Does Wolfram Physics really need hypergraphs? Or could it based on graphs instead? Jonathan Gorard shares some interesting insights into the evolution of Stephen Wolfram’s model for a fundamental theory of physics. Wolfram started with trivalent graphs, in which each edge joins two nodes, and each node has thre…

1
Where I’m going with Wolfram Physics in 2023 7:21

2+ y ago7:21

7:21

I’ve been blown away by your response to The Last Theory in 2022. How am I going to thank you for reading, listening, watching and subscribing? Well, by bringing you more Wolfram Physics in the New Year, that’s how. Here are 7 directions I want to take The Last Theory in 2023. — I release The Last Theory as a video too! Watch here. The full article…

1
Why hypergraphs might be a good model of the universe with Jonathan Gorard 10:26

2+ y ago10:26

10:26

Wolfram Physics is based on hypergraphs. Why? What is it about hypergraphs that might make them a better model of the universe than, say, strings of characters, or cellular automata, or Turing machines? When I asked Jonathan Gorard this question, he gave an answer that was deeply insightful. It’s such a core question, so fundamental to why we shoul…

1
Is Wolfram Physics the next scientific revolution? 10:53

2+ y ago10:53

10:53

For the last few hundred years, all our theories of physics have been mathematical. If Stephen Wolfram is right, from now on, our most fundamental theories of physics may be computational. This shift from mathematics to computation feels to me like a scientific revolution. Recently, I asked Jonathan Gorard, who was instrumental in the founding of T…

1
Why I took a chance on Wolfram Physics with Jonathan Gorard 9:18

2+ y ago9:18

9:18

Jonathan Gorard admits that it was a risk, for his academic career, to work on the Wolfram Physics project. In this third excerpt from my recent conversation with Jonathan, I asked him how he thought about that risk and why he decided to take it. He told me that the opportunity to work with Stephen Wolfram on this new model is a bit like being give…

1
What is the multiway graph in Wolfram Physics? 12:30

2+ y ago12:30

12:30

In Episode 15: Where to apply Wolfram’s rules? (listen to the audio ⋅ watch the video ⋅ read the article) I introduced a radical idea. When we’re applying a rule to a graph in Wolfram Physics, there are generally many possible places in the graph we could apply the rule, giving us many possible next states of the universe. Here’s the radical idea: …

1
From clockwork to computation in Wolfram Physics with Jonathan Gorard 10:36

2+ y ago10:36

10:36

This is the second of a series of excerpts from my recent conversation with Jonathan Gorard, who was instrumental in the founding of The Wolfram Physics Project. I asked Jonathan why he found the computational approach to physics so compelling. In his answer, he broached a wide range of fascinating topics in the philosophy of science: how we moved …

1
Why I don’t like String Theory 5:27

2+ y ago5:27

5:27

In my conversation with Jonathan Gorard about the founding of the Wolfram Physics Project, I said that I don’t like String Theory. Now, I’ll admit, I don’t really understand String Theory. It’s highly mathematical. And I’m not much of a mathematician. Actually, that’s an understatement. I’m not a mathematician at all. So if there’s a problem in the…

1
The founding of the Wolfram Physics Project with Jonathan Gorard 14:30

2+ y ago14:30

14:30

In 2019, Jonathan Gorard and Max Piskunov goaded Stephen Wolfram into pursuing his ideas for a new kind of science. This led to the announcement of The Wolfram Physics Project in 2020. Last week, I talked to Jonathan Gorard about the revolutionary ideas that have come out of the project. In this first excerpt from our conversation, Jonathan talks a…

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