David Deutsch: Einstein Would Fail Modern Grant Applications

David Deutsch argues Einstein would struggle to secure modern research grants, exposing how funding systems favor incremental work over bold, fundamental ideas. He ties this bias to quantum computing, constructor theory, free will, and the role of creativity in scientific breakthroughs.0:00 Einstein's Grant Application7:00 Funding People, Not Projects12:35 Is Physics Stagnant?17:34 The "Checkbox" Problem26:05 Physics vs. Math Departments32:42 Fundamental vs. Foundational40:08 Physicists and Philosophy45:44 Why Academics Are Silent51:20 The Problem of Quantum Gravity58:31 Qubit Field Theory1:03:18 Problem-Solving in Physics1:17:14 Deutsch's "Impossible" List1:24:23 Meeting Hugh Everett1:35:01 Susskind's MWI Objections1:46:44 Everett and Quantum Computing1:56:20 Constructor Theory2:03:01 Free Will and Knowledge2:09:08 Follow The FunSPONSORS:- I personally subscribe to The Economist. TOE listeners get 35% off the annual subscription. No other podcast has this! https://economist.com/TOE- Claude: 50% off Claude Pro - http://claude.ai/theoriesofeverythingEvery episode days early, ad-free, plus my essays: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribeRESOURCES:- Beginning Of Infinity [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/0143121359?tag=toe08-20- How To Reverse Academia’s Stagnation [Video]: https://youtu.be/Em-85baHx0A- Qubit Field Theory [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0401024- Quantum Theory, The Church–Turing Principle And The Universal Quantum Computer [Paper]: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspa.1985.0070- ArXiv: https://arxiv.org/- Scott Aaronson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/1ZpGCQoL2Rk- Wayne Myrvold [TOE]: https://youtu.be/HIoviZe14pY- Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/zNZCa1pVE20- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY- Alex Honnold [TOE]: https://youtu.be/D4oXvxqzSyA- Michael Levin Λ Anna Ciaunica: https://youtu.be/2aLhkm6QUgA- Stephen Wolfram [TOE]: https://youtu.be/FkYer0xP37E- The Heisenberg Picture: https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Advanced_Statistical_Mechanics_(Tuckerman)/09%3A_Review_of_the_basic_postulates_of_quantum_mechanics/9.04%3A_The_Heisenberg_Picture- Jacob Barandes Λ Emily Adlam: https://youtu.be/rw1ewLJUgOg- Everett’s Letter To DeWitt: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/manyworlds/orig-02.html- The Many-Worlds Interpretation Of Quantum Mechanics [Book]: https://amazon.com/dp/069161895X?tag=toe08-20- Leonard Susskind [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok- Sean Carroll [TOE]: https://youtu.be/9AoRxtYZrZo- David Wallace [TOE]: https://youtu.be/4MjNuJK5RzM- Chiara Marletto [TOE]: https://youtu.be/40CB12cj_aM- Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- Robert Sapolsky [TOE]: https://youtu.be/z0IqA1hYKY8- Yang-Hui He [TOE]: https://youtu.be/spIquD_mBFk 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: Spotify | YouTube | Twitter - Crypto: https://nowpayments.io/donation/TOE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices