Felix Finster: How Dirac's 90-Year-Old Error Unifies All of Physics

Felix Finster proposes causal fermion systems unify physics by building spacetime from quantum correlations. The conversation covers the Dirac sea, emergence of geometry, the Born rule, and implications for quantum gravity and cosmology.Every episode days early, ad-free, plus my essays: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe0:00 Introduction3:12 The Origins of Causal Fermion Systems6:55 Engaging with Alternative Theories in Physics15:22 The Standard View of Causation18:21 Classical, Quantum, and Pre-Quantum23:06 How Spacetime Emerges from Disconnected Points29:49 Recovering Lorentz Signature Without Assumptions31:48 Recovering the Born Rule from First Principles39:39 The Measurement Problem46:20 Bounds on CSL Parameters49:45 The Dynamics of Spacetime57:47 Collaboration with Yao and Reflections on the Theory1:03:13 A Quantum Gravity Theory Without Supersymmetry1:05:28 The Dirac Sea1:11:40 Addressing Infinite Energy in Semi-Classical Gravity1:13:09 Octonions in the Vacuum Structure1:17:32 Chirality and the Action Principle1:20:33 Baryogenesis and Why Matter Exists1:35:10 Rethinking the Strong CP and Hierarchy Problems1:38:43 Recognition, Collaboration, and Growing Attention1:54:00 Mathematical Criteria vs. Experimental Tests2:01:02 Advice for Young ResearchersRESOURCES:- Felix's Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=F7ppNroAAAAJ- Felix's Bio: https://www.uni-regensburg.de/mathematik/mathematik-1/startseite/index.html- Causal Fermion Systems [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2405.19254- Linear Dynamics of Wave Functions [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.08673- The Principle of the Fermionic Projector [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Principle-Fermionic-Projector-Advanced-Mathematics/dp/0821839748- Baryogensis for Causal Fermion Systems [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2111.05556- Holographic Mixing [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2410.18045- Standard Model Physics from an Algebra? [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1611.09182- Barry Loewer & Eddy Chen [TOE]: https://youtu.be/xZnafO__IZ0- Fay Dowker [TOE]: https://youtu.be/PgYHEPCLVas- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY- David Kaiser [TOE]: https://youtu.be/_yebLXsIdwo- Ruth Kastner [TOE]: https://youtu.be/-BsHh3_vCMQ- Amanda Gefter [TOE]: https://youtu.be/yABPvDJ6Zgs- Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/7oWip00iXbo- Eva Miranda [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6XyMepn-AZo- Emily Adlam [TOE]: https://youtu.be/6I2OhmVWLMs- Scott Aaronson & Jacob Barandes [TOE]: https://youtu.be/5rbC3XZr9-c- The Economist discount: I personally subscribe to The Economist. TOE listeners get 35% off the annual subscription. No other podcast has this! https://economist.com/TOE- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e- Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Support on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Crypto: https://nowpayments.io/donation/TOE- Support on PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices