Abhay Ashtekar: Loop Quantum Cosmology Replaces the Big Bang

I personally subscribe to The Economist. TOE listeners get 35% off the annual subscription. No other podcast has this! https://economist.com/TOE Abhay Ashtekar examines Gödel universes, time travel paradoxes, and loop quantum cosmology's latest advances They explore how consciousness, philosophy and physics intersect and debate the prospects of a quantum bounce replacing the Big Bang.0:00 Introduction0:00 Inner World vs Outer World5:35 Buddha's Poison Arrow11:05 Merging philosophy and physics13:33 Buddha not wrong19:30 Studying enlightenment scientifically23:29 Psychedelics caution25:17 Loop Quantum Gravity overview36:39 Wheeler‑DeWitt equation44:48 Self‑dual and anti‑self‑dual48:16 Hodge dual and metric52:06 Linearized gravity55:32 Quantum gravity1:03:22 Einstein vs Schrödinger1:09:24 Quantizing geometry details1:13:41 Yang‑Mills theory intro1:20:52 Tetrads and vierbeins1:24:26 Penrose’s twistor theory1:26:44 Einstein’s hole argument1:40:48 Mach’s principle1:49:04 Singularities and black holes2:12:18 Quantum bounce (Ashtekar bounce)2:23:07 Pure and mixed quantum states2:26:38 Black holes and horizons2:42:09 ADM decomposition2:43:55 Gödel universe, time travel, CTCs2:52:38 Superforce question2:56:13 Universe before the Big Bang3:01:44 String theory vs LQG3:17:31 Ed Witten critiques LQG3:21:14 Duality between string theory and LQG3:25:20 Philosopher and monk discussionSPONSORS:- Brilliant: 20% off at https://brilliant.org/TOE- NordVPN: exclusive deal at https://nordvpn.com/theories- Manscaped: 20% off and free shipping with code [EVERYTHING20]- Wren: climate pledge at https://wren.co/theories- Trade Coffee: $30 off first order plus free shipping at https://drinktrade.com/everything- ButcherBox: two steaks and lobster claw free at https://butcherbox.com/THEORIESEvery episode days early, ad-free, plus my essays: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribeRESOURCES:- YouTube: https://youtu.be/03ReIvXKrrU- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Crypto: https://nowpayments.io/donation/TOE- PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord: 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- Merch: https://tinyurl.com/TOEmerch- Physics and Consciousness Contest: https://youtu.be/V93GQaDtv8w- Dialect's video on Newton's Bucket: https://youtu.be/Jz3mOlUOGoY- Brian Roberts (Physicist and Philosopher): https://personal.lse.ac.uk/robert49/- The Monk and the Philosopher: https://amzn.to/3Bva2mf- More on the Gödel Universe: https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/15/1/013063- Better Left Unsaid: 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. FOLLOW: YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices