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Dror Bar-Natan: What Knots Reveal About Quantum Field Theory
Episode 74

Dror Bar-Natan: What Knots Reveal About Quantum Field Theory

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/rJz_Badd43c Dror Bar-Natan is a Professor of mathematic who's interests include knot theory, QFT, and Khovanov homology Sponsors: https://brilliant.org/TOE for 20% off. http://algo.com for supply chain AI. Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802 Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything LINKS MENTIONED: PDF link of notes: https://tinyurl.com/4u4ru2yh TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:29 Quantum Field Theory and Knot Theory 00:10:19 Another QFT / Knot Theory connection or analogy 00:20:46 Knot Theory and Gravity + Bar-Natan's PhD on Chern-Simons 00:24:08 Homology and Cohomology 00:32:54 Dror's average day / routines / laziness 00:35:23 What is "work" for a Professor? How much of it is thinking vs. reading etc.? 00:36:50 All the research is to support teaching 00:41:34 Motivated examples are what's missing in math teaching 00:47:35 Are you more creative when younger or older? 00:48:43 Being "systematic" with learning and research 00:50:37 Rant against theorems and proofs (emphasis) 00:54:51 What understanding a mathematical concept looks like 01:03:35 On laziness, strengths, and weaknesses in mathematics 01:07:47 Advice for the struggling mathematician 01:09:30 What did Dror learn from studying with Ed Witten 01:12:12 On Eric Weinstein 01:19:32 Knot Theory and Physics (again) 01:20:10 Why can't physics of 2 or 3 dimensions be extended to 4 easily? 01:34:21 Hard Problem of Consciousness 01:35:54 The problems Dror thinks about daily 01:37:49 What direction would he like mathematics research to head in? 01:40:26 Philosophy of math (ultra-finitism) 01:44:45 Pure mathematics in service to applied mathematics 01:47:14 How to learn a new field of mathematics 01:47:15 [the scientific mystical philosopher] Unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics 01:48:28 [Romain Gicquad] On IQ 01:51:06 [Tori Ko] ​What do you think about biology / psychology / philosophy 01:54:03 [Phill Thomas] What led him into the field of mathematics? Can anyone can learn advanced math? 02:03:52 [Tyler Goldstein] Do we need to make new research institutions not linked to academia? 02:06:04 Bias in academia 02:10:15 What's a mathematician? Who's a mathematician and who's not? 02:14:31 [Ashley Shipp] Does he think there is a connection between knot theory and protein folding? 02:19:49 [Jack Dysart] Is math a human construct? 02:22:50 [cx777o] Does he believe in a concept of god? 05:19:49 [Bill McGonigle] Ramanujan and his Goddess 02:23:47 Revealed story that Dror has about Curt and the Prisoner's Dilemma 02:30:27 [Harinivas P] Bible Code and applying advanced math in one's life 02:37:26 [Roy Dopson] Why does it take 360 pages to "prove" that 1+1=2? * * * Just wrapped (April 2021) a documentary called Better Left Unsaid http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com on the topic of "when does the left go too far?" Visit that site if you'd like to watch it.

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal · Theories of Everything

September 8, 20212h 48m

Show Notes

Dror Bar‑Natan explores the deep connections between knot theory and quantum field theory, discusses insights from Ed Witten and Eric Weinstein, and reflects on the nature of mathematical research and teaching. He also shares personal routines, thoughts on creativity, and the philosophical implications of mathematics.

- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:03:29 - Quantum Field Theory and Knot Theory
- 00:10:19 - Another QFT / Knot Theory connection or analogy
- 00:20:46 - Knot Theory and Gravity + Bar‑Natan's PhD on Chern‑Simons
- 00:24:08 - Homology and Cohomology
- 00:32:54 - Dror's average day / routines / laziness
- 00:35:23 - What is "work" for a Professor? How much of it is thinking vs. reading etc.?
- 00:36:50 - All the research is to support teaching
- 00:41:34 - Motivated examples are what's missing in math teaching
- 00:47:35 - Are you more creative when younger or older?
- 00:48:43 - Being "systematic" with learning and research
- 00:50:37 - Rant against theorems and proofs (emphasis)
- 00:54:51 - What understanding a mathematical concept looks like
- 01:03:35 - On laziness, strengths, and weaknesses in mathematics
- 01:07:47 - Advice for the struggling mathematician
- 01:09:30 - What did Dror learn from studying with Ed Witten
- 01:12:12 - On Eric Weinstein
- 01:19:32 - Knot Theory and Physics (again)
- 01:20:10 - Why can't physics of 2 or 3 dimensions be extended to 4 easily?
- 01:34:21 - Hard Problem of Consciousness
- 01:35:54 - The problems Dror thinks about daily
- 01:37:49 - What direction would he like mathematics research to head in?
- 01:40:26 - Philosophy of math (ultra‑finitism)
- 01:44:45 - Pure mathematics in service to applied mathematics
- 01:47:14 - How to learn a new field of mathematics
- 01:47:15 - Unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics
- 01:48:28 - On IQ
- 01:51:06 - What do you think about biology / psychology / philosophy
- 01:54:03 - What led him into the field of mathematics? Can anyone learn advanced math?
- 02:03:52 - Do we need to make new research institutions not linked to academia?
- 02:06:04 - Bias in academia
- 02:10:15 - What's a mathematician? Who's a mathematician and who's not?
- 02:14:31 - Does he think there is a connection between knot theory and protein folding?
- 02:19:49 - Is math a human construct?
- 02:22:50 - Does he believe in a concept of god?
- 05:19:49 - Ramanujan and his Goddess
- 02:23:47 - Revealed story that Dror has about Curt and the Prisoner's Dilemma
- 02:30:27 - Bible Code and applying advanced math in one's life
- 02:37:26 - Why does it take 360 pages to "prove" that 1+1=2?

SPONSORS:

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RESOURCES:

- YouTube link: https://youtu.be/rJz_Badd43c
- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal
- Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE
- PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs
- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802
- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e
- Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything
- PDF link of notes: https://tinyurl.com/4u4ru2yh
- Better Left Unsaid documentary: http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science.

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