dr.brian.keating | In part one of our extensive conversation, we cover his Geometric Unity theory and the value of scientific theories in general.
As
a mathematician and an economist, Eric is uniquely suited to
understanding how ideas have contributed to human civilization — and
what we’re losing out on when academia throttles them. His perspective
that, “[Professors] need the freedom of a billionaire without the wealth
of one,” is a spin on something Ralph Gomory, president of the Alfred
P. Sloan Foundation, told him:
“The
bargain was always that you weren’t going to get super rich as a
professor, but you would have the freedom that came from your job. And
that’s how we got great people. When we lost freedom, we stopped being
able to compete effectively for the top people.”
Having
Eric on the show challenged me to consider my approach to the
interview. Though an expert in experimental physics, it is beneficial to
be reminded about the contributions of theoretical study. His allegory
that the tailor who sews on the last button of a coat shouldn’t get all
the credit is powerful. Think of the creative spark, the person who
sketches, then finds practical materials, the engineers who bring
instruments into the equation, and all the other pieces of the puzzle.
In
this interview, Eric says, “The scientific method is actually the radio
edit of great science” and that is really striking. It is important to
remember that the unedited version exists, even if it doesn’t make it
through all the noise very often.
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