[Recording Start]
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: If you could have a conversation with any historical figure who has passed away, who would you choose and why?
Rick Rosner: I think I’d prefer to speak with a renowned physicist, perhaps someone like Einstein or Hawking. My main interest would be to discuss my views on the universe being constructed from information and see if these ideas would resonate with them. However, Einstein might not be the most receptive to this concept. The first paper on information theory was published in 1948, when Einstein was already 69, and he lived only seven more years after that. This theory might not have been fully within his sphere of interest.
Furthermore, Einstein famously had a strong aversion to quantum mechanics, particularly its inherent randomness and probabilistic nature. I wonder if I could have engaged him in a discussion about the outcomes of quantum events being determined by external factors beyond the universe. This wouldn’t imply hidden variables within quantum mechanics but rather hidden correlations with something external. I’m not sure if this aligns with Bell’s theorem, which concerns the impossibility of hidden variables. So, perhaps a conversation with Einstein could have been enlightening, though a dinner with Hawking might have been a more peculiar experience.
Jacobsen: So, it’s more about having a meaningful conversation rather than the setting of a dinner.
Rosner: Okay, focusing on the conversation aspect, Stephen Hawking might be an interesting choice. His work on information and black holes is particularly relevant to my interests. However, the practicalities of dining with him, considering his condition, might be challenging. He’s a contemporary figure, so perhaps he would be more open to modern ideas like mine.
There are other historical figures who would be intriguing to meet. Elvis Presley, for instance, though you’d want to meet him at the right time in his life. His later years, when he struggled with prescription drug use, might not be ideal. Marie Curie could be fascinating too, but I’m not sure what our conversation would be like. She had a notable personal life, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to an engaging discussion.
Charles Darwin would be an interesting choice among the notable scientists, but I’d avoid Isaac Newton, who was known to be quite difficult.
Jacobsen: Who would you compare yourself to most in history?
Rosner: If I don’t fulfill my potential, I might end up like William James Sidis. He’s known for having one of the highest IQs in recorded history, but he died of a brain hemorrhage without producing any notable original work. He was working on a significant project, a comprehensive history of North America, but never completed it. In that sense, he’s similar to me: a very smart person perceived as wasting potential on trivial pursuits. I have serious endeavors, but my approach to them hasn’t always been as focused as it could be.
Jacobsen: Has my role been somewhat like corralling you?
Rosner: Yes, it’s been helpful, like a form of guidance.
Jacobsen: So, I’ve been like a shepherd for eight years?
Rosner: Right, akin to Jesus’ role.
Jacobsen: Leading you to the Promised Land, so to speak.
Rosner: That’s more Moses’ job, actually.
Jacobsen: True, I got my biblical characters mixed up there. [Laughing]
[Recording End]
Authors
Rick Rosner
American Television Writer
Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Founder, In-Sight Publishing
In-Sight Publishing
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In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.rickrosner.org.
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Rick Rosner 