They’re Going to Destroy Science! Eric Weinstein on Brian Keating’s INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast

[Valin]

Mar. 3 2023

Fresh off his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE), join me and Eric Weinstein in this frank discussion diving deep into philosophical and existential questions of nuclear war, UFOs, faith, belief, global conflict, antisemitism, the state of elite academia, geopolitical threats including American leadership in STEM, COVID annihilation and more.

Eric holds a Ph.D. in mathematical physics from Harvard, but did not pursue the traditional academic route at all. He is an author, mathematician, economist, and Managing Director of Thiel Capital. Eric practices physics outside the academic establishment, and in that regard he is most famous for his geometric unity proposal. He is the host of The Portal podcast and known as one of the voices of the intellectual dark web.

Weinstein is a vocal critic of modern academic hierarchies and advocates for advances in scientific theory over an emphasis on experimental results.

00:00:00 Intro

00:04:30 What is the difference between atheism, agnosticism, and the belief in a “first cause”. Is “creation” necessary for God to exist?

00:07:00 The Bible according to Eric Weinstein Religious scientists and perception-mediated evolution.

00:09:29 "Jesus Smuggling", Evolutionary biology, intelligent design, and Brett Weinstein’s perception mediated selection and the examples of the Lampsilis Mussel and Darwin’s orchids.

00:22:00 Belief in God vs. atheism. Doubts about atheism? We are meant to believe!

00:27:40 What is the greatest challenge to humanity below the Von Karman Line (beginning of space): global warming, COVID, nuclear annihilation, or UFOs?

00:34:00 Dealing with extreme events. What can prevent nuclear annihilation? Should we restart atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons to remind humanity how terrible they are? Is this the “end”? Three monuments to the Holocaust to remind humanity of the worst-case scenario: Berlin Memorial (https://www.visitberlin.de/en/memoria... ), Babyn Yar Memorial (https://babynyar.org/ua) and the memorial to Sinti boxer Johann Trollman (https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/johan... ).

00:42:30 What about UFO and the Chinese balloon phenomenon? Could it be a Psyop? Direct vs. indirect evidence.

00:45:50 Sources and methods and the issue of privilege in controlling information and the erosion of the public's faith in science and public health.

00:50:20 Is faith in science being undermined to our doom? 00:54:04 Equity and the crisis in academia. How it leads to the degradation of elite academic research institutions.

01:01:00 Do we need a new academic model?

01:04:50 How should the priesthood of academia be remade?

01:09:00 Is America giving away its advantage to foreign influences and cheap research labor?

01:18:15 Is the American news media keeping us in the dark and distribution mis/dis-information? We need to know!

01:21:50 The collapse of an academic pyramid the academic hunger games and selling out of American science.

01:25:40 What to think about Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter six months later?

01:32:00 Optimism for AI brains and a note on geopolitics