John Norton: The 300-Year-Old Physics Mistake No One Noticed

John Norton dismantles long‑standing assumptions in physics, from Newtonian determinism to the myth of Landauer’s principle. He argues causation may be illusory and explores the breakdown of classical physics.

0:00 Introduction
3:37 Norton's Dome Explained
6:30 The Misunderstanding of Determinism
9:31 Thermodynamics and Infinite Systems
14:39 Implications for Quantum Mechanics
16:20 Revisiting Causation
18:15 Critique of Causal Metaphysics
20:21 The Utility of Causal Language
24:58 Exploring Thought Experiments
33:05 Landauer's Principle Discussion
49:48 Critique of Experimental Validation
52:25 Consequences for Maxwell's Demon
1:13 34 Einstein's Critiques of Quantum Mechanics
1:28 16 The Nature of Scientific Discovery
1:42 56 Inductive Inferences in Science

SPONSORS:

- I personally subscribe to The Economist. TOE listeners get 35% off the annual subscription. No other podcast has this! https://economist.com/TOE

Every episode days early, ad-free, plus my essays: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe

RESOURCES:

- Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e
- A Primer on Determinism [Book]: https://amzn.to/45Jn3b4
- John Norton’s Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UDteMFoAAAAJ
- Causation as Folk Science [Paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/003004.pdf
- Lipschitz continuity [Wiki]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipschitz_continuity
- The Dome: An Unexpectedly Simple Failure of Determinism [Paper]: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/2943/1/Norton.pdf
- Norton’s Dome [Wiki]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton%27s_dome
- Approximation and Idealization [Paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/Ideal_Approx_final.pdf
- On the Quantum Theory of Radiation [Paper]: https://www.informationphilosopher.com/solutions/scientists/einstein/1917_Radiation.pdf
- Making Things Happen [Book]: https://ccc.inaoep.mx/~esucar/Clases-mgc/Making-Things-Happen-A-Theory-of-Causal-Explanation.pdf
- Causation in Physics [Wiki]: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/causation-physics/
- Laboratory of the Mind [Paper]: https://www.academia.edu/2644953/REVIEW_James_R_Brown_Laboratory_of_the_Mind
- The Thermodynamics of Computation [Paper]: https://sites.cc.gatech.edu/computing/nano/documents/Bennett%20-%20The%20Thermodynamics%20Of%20Computation.pdf
- What's Actually Possible? [Article]: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/the-unexamined-in-principle
- On a Decrease of Entropy in a Thermodynamic System [Paper]: https://fab.cba.mit.edu/classes/862.22/notes/computation/Szilard-1929.pdf
- Landauer's principle and thermodynamics [Article]: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature10872
- The Logical Inconsistency of Old Quantum Theory of Black Body Radiation [Paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/Inconsistency_OQT.pdf
- YouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join
- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal
- Crypto: https://nowpayments.io/donation/TOE
- PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- Discord: 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