Biological evolution via natural selection is a simple idea that becomes enormously complicated in its realization. Populations of organisms are driven toward increased "fitness," a measure of how successfully we reproduce our genetic information. But fitness is a subtle concept, changing with time and environment and

A large economy is one of the best examples we have of complex dynamics. There are multiple components arranged in complicated overlapping hierarchies, out-of-equilibrium dynamics, nonlinear coupling and feedback between different levels, and ubiquitous unpredictable and chaotic behavior. Nevertheless, many economic mo

It's not immoral to kick a rock; it is immoral to kick a baby. At what point do we start saying that it is wrong to cause pain to something? This question has less to do with "consciousness" and more to do with "sentience" -- the ability to perceive feelings and sensations. Philosopher Jonathan Birch has embarked on a

Being rational necessarily involves engagement with probability. Given two possible courses of action, it can be rational to prefer the one that could possibly result in a worse outcome, if there's also a substantial probability for an even better outcome. But one's attitude toward risk -- averse, tolerant, or even see

Sean Carroll is a theoretical physicist and cosmologist specializing in dark energy, general relativity, and quantum mechanics. Sean is a research professor at Caltech and a prolific author known for his books "The Big Picture" and "Something Deeply Hidden," which explore the intersection of science, philosophy, and th

In this episode, I interview renowned theoretical physicist Sean Carroll to discuss his book Something Deeply Hidden. Sean breaks down complex ideas in quantum mechanics and cosmology in his popular science books. His research involves theoretical physics and astrophysics, especially cosmology, field theory, and gravit