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I've got to shake my head at these segments where the interviewer asks a philosophical question without seeming to have the conceptual maturity and framing to r

I've got to shake my head at these segments where the interviewer asks a philosophical question without seeming to have the conceptual maturity and framing to reliably go beyond delineating semantics. Luckily, Sanderson goes above and beyond. 10:31 – Is math discovered or invented? The way it was posed sounds like it was asking for a dogmatic judgment on the nature of doing math, but I like Sanderson's take on how it looks to him, that certain mathematical problems seem discovered, and the mathematical tools developed to solve them and the frameworks they become seem invented. 14:30 – Difference between physics and math Rather than tackling the philosophical question directly, Sanderson talks about the motivations mathematicians and physicists have when they do math / do physics, and that different people will give different answers. 17:24 – Why is reality compressible into simple equations? Again, Sanderson provides a saner view: this feeling comes from that once you analyze out all your irrelevant details that you don't care about, or that you give up about (chaotic systems), what's left is what you can focus on by describing in simple equations.

maroonblazer 7y ago
>10:31 – Is math discovered or invented? >The way it was posed sounds like it was asking for a dogmatic judgment on the nature of doing math I don't think that's a fair representation of Lex's question. Or at least it didn't come across that way to me. Lex was asking it in the context of his earlier question regarding whether math would be a common 'language' we share with aliens. The 'discovered/invented' question bears on that concern.
AtomicOrbital 7y ago
Fans of Lex would do well to checkout this podcast https://fs.blog/podcast https://fs.blog/podcast
- krick 7y ago
  What do you mean by "fans"? Should I check it out if I actually like the way he asks question, or if I like the guests and wish somebody else asked them better questions? I guess I can find out for myself after listening a couple of episodes of what you recommend, but it still would be nice if you could elaborate.
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jasim 7y ago
"Is math discovered or invented?" is a question that underlies a lot of math philosophy writings I've read (of the popular science variety) and so I could immediately understand where Lex was going with it. It is a simple question which can elicit as much depth one is willing to dive into. Similarly I thought all of Lex's questions came from deep understanding of what he was asking, and he would've known clearly what Sanderson would've replied (minus his personal insights) and what other competing answers are out there. I love Lex Friedman's interviews - he simply asks a small but fertile question and then lets the guest talk.
- mistermann 7y ago
  Me too, I really enjoy the perspective he takes, quite unique, but not to everyone's liking.

maroonblazer 7y ago

>10:31 – Is math discovered or invented? >The way it was posed sounds like it was asking for a dogmatic judgment on the nature of doing math I don't think that's a fair representation of Lex's question. Or at least it didn't come across that way to me. Lex was asking it in the context of his earlier question regarding whether math would be a common 'language' we share with aliens. The 'discovered/invented' question bears on that concern.

AtomicOrbital 7y ago

Fans of Lex would do well to checkout this podcast https://fs.blog/podcast https://fs.blog/podcast

krick 7y ago
What do you mean by "fans"? Should I check it out if I actually like the way he asks question, or if I like the guests and wish somebody else asked them better questions? I guess I can find out for myself after listening a couple of episodes of what you recommend, but it still would be nice if you could elaborate.

deleted 7y ago

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jasim 7y ago

"Is math discovered or invented?" is a question that underlies a lot of math philosophy writings I've read (of the popular science variety) and so I could immediately understand where Lex was going with it. It is a simple question which can elicit as much depth one is willing to dive into. Similarly I thought all of Lex's questions came from deep understanding of what he was asking, and he would've known clearly what Sanderson would've replied (minus his personal insights) and what other competing answers are out there. I love Lex Friedman's interviews - he simply asks a small but fertile question and then lets the guest talk.

mistermann 7y ago
Me too, I really enjoy the perspective he takes, quite unique, but not to everyone's liking.