‘The Universe Speaks in Numbers’ – Interview 9

MICHELA MASSIMI

What do philosophers of physics do, and what light might they shed on the work of today’s physicists and astronomers? Michela Massimi, a distinguished philosopher of science at the University of Edinburgh, discusses these and other matters with Graham in this lively interview, recorded last March in Michela’s office. She has a bracingly optimistic vision for her subject in the coming decades, as Graham heard.

This is one of twenty interviews given by world-class experts to Graham on the themes he explores in his new book The Universe Speaks in Numbers. A new interview is posted every week.

Among the other interviewees are Michael Atiyah, Ruth Britto, Simon Donaldson, Freeman Dyson, Juan Maldacena, Greg Moore, Roger Penrose, Martin Rees, Simon Schaffer, Lenny Susskind and Edward Witten.