Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal Stuart Kauffman: There Is No Theory of Everything
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Jan 20, 2026 
Stuart Kauffman, a pioneering theoretical biologist and co-founder of the Santa Fe Institute, shares his radical insights on evolution and complexity. He posits that there is no singular theory of everything, challenging Platonic ideas by suggesting that biological evolution gives rise to genuinely new possibilities. Kauffman introduces novel concepts in quantum gravity and discusses the importance of openness in evolution. He critiques the limitations of reductionism and highlights the need for a cultural shift toward participation rather than dominion.
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Kantian Wholes And Non-Deducible Functions
- Organisms are Kantian wholes whose parts exist for and by means of the whole.
- Parts have many causal properties and can acquire new non-deducible functions through evolution.
Evolution Creates Indefinite New Possibilities
- Darwinian exaptations instantiate an 'indefinite' set of uses that cannot be listed or deduced.
- Therefore biological evolution generates genuinely new possibilities outside entailing physical law.
Non‑Ergodicity Limits Molecular Possibilities
- The universe is not ergodic above ~500 Daltons, so it cannot realize all complex molecular sequences.
- This non-ergodicity explains why selection and historical contingency matter for structures like hearts.
