Coursera Spring Sale
40% Off Coursera Plus Annual!
Grab it
Explore the fundamental limits of predictability in mathematics and physics through this seminar that examines how certainty remains elusive despite our sophisticated scientific tools. Delve into the historical journey from David Hilbert's ambitious dream of conquering uncertainty through reason to Alan Turing's groundbreaking proof of the undecidability of the halting problem that shattered this vision. Investigate how chaos theory demonstrates that even minor measurement errors can escalate into vast unpredictability, revealing that celestial mechanics—once considered deterministic—operates in a universe far more chaotic than Newton had imagined. Discover the concept of logical chaos and learn about groundbreaking 2021 research demonstrating the existence of undecidable fluid paths—trajectories so complex that no logical framework can predict their evolution. Consider whether similar undecidable phenomena might exist in celestial mechanics and contemplate the possibility of cosmic events so intricate that no theory or supercomputer could ever decipher them, using real-world examples like the uncertain trajectory of the 2024 YR4 asteroid.
