SSE Talks

TITLE

The Constants, Reductionism, and the Origins of Space and Time
May 09, 2009 at 8:00 PM EST | R. Shoup

AUTHOR(S)

Richard Shoup

ABSTRACT

At least six apparently independent physical constants seem to be finely tuned to allow evolution of complex and intelligent life in our universe. In this talk, we discuss possible origins and implications of this seemingly unlikely situation, but challenge the usual assumptions of materialism, reductionism, and randomness. From this new vantage point, several hypotheses are offered for the ultimate origins of the physical and mathematical universe, and for the non-uniform properties we observe in it. As an example, we give extremely simple and abstract definitions of time, space, and velocity, and show that these lead naturally to the addition of velocities as given by Special Relativity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Richard Shoup received his BSEE and PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University. He has worked at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Interval Research, and is currently President of the Boundary Institute. His research interests have focused on the foundations of physics, mathematics, and computer science.

NOTES

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