“And you mention my young man LSD psychedelic experience. I think these were useful for me in that I got the sense that, if a little chemical goes into your body and you see the world so differently, it means that the way you see the world normally isn’t necessarily so obviously right. So we should know this and this openness is the main lesson I got from that period.”
In an interview with HERO Magazine, theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli discusses his views on physics, time, and consciousness. He connects his youthful rebellious spirit to his scientific pursuits and highlights the importance of making complex physics concepts accessible. Rovelli explores the subjective experience of time, noting how it shifts with age and memory. He also reflects on the pandemic’s lessons about human vulnerability and the need to anticipate potential threats. Notably, Rovelli shares how a past experience with LSD influenced his perception of reality, contributing to his understanding of the brain’s capacity to conceptualize space and time at a fundamental level. He expresses skepticism about a singular “theory of everything,” acknowledging the vastness of the unknown, and emphasizes the interconnectedness of science and philosophy.
