David Deutsch on the infinite reach of knowledge | The TED Interview

This interview is a classic David Deutsch masterpiece.

If you reject the infinite, you are stuck with the finite, and the finite is parochial... the best explanation of anything eventually involves universality, and therefore infinity. The reach of explanations cannot be limited by fiat. — David Deutsch, British physicist

Of all the material on Deutsch and his work on YouTube, this is the densest and clearest description by the man himself. Major paradigm shift!

44:10, 47:20, 52:00 57:00 knowledge is a super power if you look at it the right way Love David Deutsch, I always come away with optimism and interesting knowledge.

I really don't know how many countless times I have listened to this amazing episode. Two incredibly inspiring people.

Thanks for this amazing interview. The world needs more people like David.

This conversation is invaluable

19:47 “Explanations explain the seen in terms of the unseen, whereas biological knowledge, it’s only what works” 26:13 “[Explanation] explains what might happen in terms of general ideas about what can happen” 27:14 “Memes tend to evolve to breed true. That is, memes that can get themselves faithfully copied are preferred to ones that can’t … that’s their tendency” 37:16 “I think it’s extremely significant that not one of the anglosphere countries fell to a dictatorship”

Deutsch builds his description of the world around human experience and thought. That's what makes his analysis different from the mainstream which sees humans as just one organism among many that evolved in the world. While it's ok to put humans at the center since we ARE human and are stuck with being that way, wouldn't you like to escape that limitation of perspective as much as possible and see things objectively rather than resign yourself to living within it? I'll bet that Deutsch started down this road by not being content with the mainstream interpretation of quantum weirdness which sees it as something inherently beyond the capability of human reason to understand in the same way that we understand everyday things.

16:35 Chris: "We have embarked on a journey that has potentially unlimited reach. It could lead us to literally anywhere. There is no dream that, in principle, humans couldn't dream of being part of. And maybe it's not us in the end -- it's some successor species -- but we are part of a liftoff that has no limit in principle."

"... part of the morality of any advanced civilization would be that they would come and rescue us"

The many ads undercut the continuity of this wonderful conversation..

We are the universe, a distinction we share with all living things, and beyond...

I think I've spent as much time writing notes as listening to this interview. Much to ponder. Thank you for your fascinating perspective and well thought out explanations.

By "YouSum Live" 00:00:00 David Deutsch challenges the insignificance of humans in the universe. 00:01:01 Knowledge is a potent force shaping humanity's survival and future. 00:01:46 Human ability to create new explanations sets us apart. 00:02:18 Understanding interconnected knowledge leads to breakthroughs. 00:02:48 Accessible knowledge sharing across disciplines is crucial for progress. 00:05:30 Humans possess the potential to be cosmically significant through exploration. 00:07:13 Explanatory knowledge gives humans infinite reach and influence. 00:14:02 Knowledge is information with causal power, transcending mere belief. 00:20:26 Human creativity, driven by explanatory knowledge, has universal impact. 00:22:43 Evolution of the ability to mimic and share knowledge accelerated human progress. 00:22:49 Evolution of human creativity through memes 00:23:31 Humans copy meaning, not just behavior 00:25:46 Understanding arises from copying meaning 00:27:00 Error correction crucial for knowledge advancement 00:30:00 Scientific revolution as a stable error correction system 00:37:40 Democracy as an error-correcting political system 00:41:02 Human minds' unique relationship with explanatory knowledge 00:42:20 Possibility of understanding any imaginable explanation 00:44:30 Existence of advanced civilizations in the galaxy 00:45:56 Lack of evidence for engineered galaxy structures 00:50:44 Theoretical possibility of civilizations destroying themselves 00:52:49 Importance of defending civilization against existential threats 00:52:58 Optimism through seeking knowledge and correcting mistakes 00:55:51 The role of optimism in understanding failures and seeking knowledge 00:58:03 Embracing mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth By "YouSum Live"

are there a few clues from David Deutsch about what kind of science fiction book he intends to write

thank you so much

Deutsch is 🔥

The cutting edge of human consciousness..

59:51