Boundaries of the Knowable

In this 10 part series from The Open University, Professor Russell Stannard OBE delves into subjects ranging from free will and determinism, to space and the nature of time.

How can we ever understand the relationship between consciousness and the physical brain? All day long we have to make choices. Are we really free to choose?

What kind of universe we live in and what caused the Big Bang? Is there intelligent life out there? What is beyond the observable universe? Will the universe close back on itself?

Why the word space so-called empty space isn’t simply another name for nothing? We all start off thinking there is just the one time the same for everyone. Relativity theory shows this not to be the case.

What is the nature of matter and how complete our understanding of matter can be? What is the Wave/Particle Paradox and how Neils Bohr solved it?

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Simon Gramstrup
Interesting science update with a bit of philosophy on the side.. Goofy old guy..
tomregit
A very enjoyable series probing the limits of our understanding. Physics is currently moving such at a rapid pace, so it would be interesting to know when exactly this was filmed.
Regarding string theory, there is the very real possibilty that a generation of highly trained, intelligent physicists have spent an entire career looking down a blind alley that may lead nowhere. There was a time when anyone not studying string theory found it very difficult to find funding for research and nearly impossible to get tenure. Sometimes we may put too many eggs in one basket.