Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Can Physics Predict Our Choices? Sean Carroll Weighs In

10/17/2025

26 3

Summary

Story summary

Physicist Sean Carroll argues that knowing the position and velocity of every particle could allow predicting future events.
This deterministic view raises questions about human agency and choice, a topic debated by scientists and philosophers.
He notes physics' success with simplifying complex systems, unlike the challenges in psychology or biology, and ends with a "spherical cow" analogy to illustrate modeling.

1 of 1

Story summary

Physicist Sean Carroll argues that knowing the position and velocity of every particle could allow predicting future events.
This deterministic view raises questions about human agency and choice, a topic debated by scientists and philosophers.
He notes physics' success with simplifying complex systems, unlike the challenges in psychology or biology, and ends with a "spherical cow" analogy to illustrate modeling.