Join us for a discussion of *Existential Physics: A Scientist's Guide to Life's Biggest Questions* by Sabine Hossenfelder.

Synopsis:

* According to Sabine Hossenfelder, it is not a coincidence that quantum entanglement and vacuum energy have become the go-to explanations of alternative healers, or that people believe their deceased grandmother is still alive because of quantum mechanics. Science and religion have the same roots, and they still tackle some of the same Where do we come from? Where do we go to? How much can we know? The area of science that is closest to answering these questions is physics. Over the last century, physicists have learned a lot about which spiritual ideas are still compatible with the laws of nature. Not always, though, have they stayed on the scientific side of the debate.
In this lively, thought-provoking book, Hossenfelder takes on the biggest questions in Does the past still exist? Do particles think? Was the universe made for us? Has physics ruled out free will? Will we ever have a theory of everything? She lays out how far physicists are on the way to answering these questions, where the current limits are, and what questions might well remain unanswerable forever. Her book offers a no-nonsense yet entertaining take on some of the toughest riddles in existence, and will give the reader a solid grasp on what we know—and what we don’t know.

Discussion Questions (subject to revision):

1. Hossenfelder criticizes speculative ideas like the multiverse, panpsychism, and simulation theory for overstepping what physics can test. Where do you think the line should be drawn between scientific imagination and metaphysical storytelling?
2. The book questions whether free will survives in a deterministic or probabilistic universe. Does redefining free will as “acting according to one’s motives and understanding” preserve its essence, or empty it of significance?
3. If humans are in principle predictable physical systems, what becomes of moral responsibility, love, or creativity?
4. If the past, present, and future all coexist in a “block universe,” what happens to the idea of change, choice, or moral responsibility?
5. If consciousness can’t be fully captured by computation or physics, does that point to a limitation in science—or in our current understanding of what consciousness is?
6. The anthropic principle claims we observe a universe compatible with life simply because we are here to observe it. Is that a profound insight or a tautology?
7. Hossenfelder insists that physics rules out no mystery except those that contradict evidence. Does this leave room for spiritual or philosophical forms of wonder, or only scientific curiosity?
8. How should scientists communicate the boundaries of what physics can say without undermining the sense of wonder that draws people to big questions in the first place?

Whether you’ve read the whole book or just want to explore some of its central ideas, you’re welcome to join! If you need help accessing the text, please feel free to reach out to me directly.

*Thanks to Spartacus Books for generously opening up their space for us! If you're able, please support them with a small donation* (**suggested: $2**)*, or with a purchase if one of their titles catches your fancy.*

Angelo Cavoto

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Existential Physics - Sabine Hossenfelder

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Mind Matters: A Book Club for Big Ideas

Existential Physics - Sabine Hossenfelder

Mind Matters: A Book Club for Big Ideas

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