Episodes Science Philosophy

#98: The Meaning Of Human Existence, And The Search For Alien Life – Avi Loeb

1 min read
#98: The Meaning Of Human Existence, And The Search For Alien Life – Avi Loeb

Avi Loeb is Chair of Harvard’s Astronomy Department.

Show notes

Selected links

Topics discussed

  • Avi’s childhood growing up on a farm in Israel, and journey into academia. 5:16
  • Avi’s romance with philosophy, Satre, and Camus. 10:11
  • When in their careers should scientists court risk? 15:24
  • Albert Camus and The Myth Of Sisyphus. 21:10
  • How does alien intelligence change the meaning of human existence? 24:50
  • If there was no other intelligent life in the universe, would that make a god more likely? 34:51
  • How far off is technology for 3D printing of…humans? 40:49
  • What are the a priori odds of other intelligent life in the universe — and how do we calculate them? 42:49
  • Why is it so quiet out there? 47:25
  • Space archaeology. 52:33
  • Is space-time a doomed concept? 1:04:14
  • How do we verify what happens beyond the event horizon of a black hole? 1:12:08
  • The multiverse: bullshit or not? 1:17:25
  • What could spacefaring aliens teach us about physics? 1:30:00
  • ‘Oumuamua — a possible interstellar spacecraft lurking in our solar system. 1:31:45
  • The Pentagon UFO releases. 1:43:47
  • Hostile aliens. 1:46:00
  • The advantages of generalism. 1:54:43
  • The meaning of life (42). 2:01:21