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Sep 9, 2026 18 min

Why physics and philosophy need each other

from Science Friday Hosted by Ira Flatow, Charles Bergquist, Carlo Rovelli

Once upon a time, much of what we call “science” was performed by people called “natural philosophers,” delving into mysteries of nature, physics, chemistry, and more. Physicist and author Carlo Rovelli argues that there’s still a great need for philosophy, and that the two fields can and should learn from each other in investigating reality. Rovelli joins Host Ira Flatow to talk about big ideas in physics, and his new book, “On The Equality of All Things: Lessons on Physics and Philosophy.” Read an excerpt from “On The Equality of All Things.” Guest: Dr. Carlo Rovelli is an Italian theoretical physicist and the author of “On The Equality of Things.” Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky @scifri and sign up for our newsletters. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374

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Physicist Carlo Rovelli urges conversations between physics and philosophy in a search for answers about the universe.

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Why physics and philosophy need each other

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