Jeffrey Epstein and The Sciences

Quantum Computing, which has the potential to revolutionize information technology and will enable new areas of research and push the boundaries of knowledge. Specifically, quantum cryptography, is an application that holds much promise in the foreseeable future.

Evolutionary Biology, advancing our knowledge of the dynamics of infectious diseases and cancer genetics, as well as alternative forms of energy. While some people, who are ignorant of the subject, are perhaps frightened or threatened by it, and therefore oppose it, the potential of evolution, especially microevolution , has been fundamental to many social improvements in this century, and it promises to be profoundly important to biomedical technology in the next generation, specifically in drug development and in biotechnology.

Complexity, understanding complex adaptive systems is critical to understanding the fundamental processes that shape almost every aspect of human life. The ascending levels of the hierarchy of complexity demonstrate emergent properties at each level that appear to be non-predictable from the properties of the component parts. We need a more complete catalogue of the processes of evolution, learning, and adaptation and the ways in which they differ from one hierarchical level to another. It is a field that is expected to yield enormous practical and intellectual benefits.

Cognitive Neuroscience, advancing the frontiers of brain-style computation, through the support of the cross-disciplinary fields of biophysics and computation. Since the brain computes, it is necessary to understand in detail the biophysical mechanisms responsible for such computations. Understanding the detailed biophysics of neurons and their components is important for another reason. In electronic circuit design, work on the physics of computation has characterized the physical mechanisms that are exploited to perform elementary information processing operations in digital computers. Yet, the way brain operations differ from computation of the type taught in computer science and electrical engineering departments.

Artificial Intelligence, striving to make machines more intelligent, self-correcting, and with more human like abilities. Artificial Intelligence has already made great strides in building better machines that reduce risk in daily human activities or by easing mundane tasks. Nonetheless, we still are not at the point where computers have any understanding of either themselves, their operators, or the world around them. Is it possible to construct a computer that takes the millions of everyday facts of the world, connect those facts, and produce results that are useful, or perhaps, even reasonable or insightful? How do we understand human thought in terms of its relationship to artificial intelligence?

Theoretical Physics, there are still problems that need to be solved with the standard model, as there are still many areas that do not fit with or explain physical observations. The hypothetical "Higgs field", which accounts for particle masses and the breaking of the symmetry between the electromagnetic and weak forces, is not well understood. It is not yet known how to calculate the mass(es) of its field boson(s) (the Higgs particle(s)), or even how many exist. No one has yet constructed a consistent Quantum theory of Gravity. There is no explanation for the existence of the three families of quarks and leptons. There is no way to calculate the relative masses of the various particles and strengths of the different forces. There is no explanation for the the fact that electrons and protons have the exact same electrical chare (of opposite sign). What is the mechanism that makes fundamental mass? The masses of the electron, proton, and neutron are generated through "electroweak breaking," but many particle physicists do not yet know how this breaking mechanism works. If and when a "theory of everything" is constructed, it will underlie almost everything in the sciences currently known as high-energy physics, cosmology, relativity, and astrophysics.

Astronomy, for as long as man has been able to think abstract thoughts, he has wondered about the nature of the universe, including its origin and age. Today, we have bigger and better telescopes, incredible new accelerators, and the advance of technology in so many fields of astronomy has been able to push our understanding and testing of concepts forward at a pace unrivaled in the history of science. Yet, each question answered appears to bring so many more questions for us to answer, such as the mystery of Dark Matter, which played such a crucial role in galaxy formation during the evolution of our universe. Of course, the Big Questions still remain: accounting for the very origin of our universe, as well as how it will end. Perhaps, these are the most fundamental questions of all.

Language, the evolution of cooperation and human language; how do we acquire language?
To gain Jeffrey Epstein's support, scientists in these fields must usually display an exceptional creativity and inventiveness in his or her way of work, offering a decidedly new and verifiable way of thinking, imagining, or doing. Criteria may be imagining and building something entirely new; Advancing a well-defined field in an unexpected way; or combining previously separate endeavors with surprising and original results.

For many years now, Jeffrey Epstein has been an active and supportive member of a very interesting group, called Edge Foundation: Third Culture, which was assembled by his friend publisher John Brockman. Brockman established it in 1988 as an intimate, and by-invite only group, of some of the most interesting and cutting minds in the world of thought. Many of the Edge Foundation's members are friends of Jeffrey Epstein, and he has chosen to support the work of number of Edge members through the Jeffrey Epstein Foundation.

Jeffrey Epstein has passion for the sciences as demonstrated by his underwriting much of the scientific work that goes on at the Edge Foundation: Third Culture.Brockman was inspired by C.P. Snow's classic work, The Two Cultures, first published in 1959, which explored the communications gap between literary "intellectuals" and scientific "intellectuals." Snow labeled these the Two Cultures. Later, Snow, elaborated how much was lost because of the effect of essentially two "different vocabularies," which made it effectively difficult to communicate. The scientists were not communicating effectively to the artists and the artists were not communicating effectively to the scientists. There was little in the way of understanding or insight between them. Even with art, the scientists looking for common ground, in say an artist such as M.C. Escher, whose mathematical symmetries were beautiful to them, were dismissed by the artists, who were content with the "emotive" power of a painting expressed through light, tone, and color, as well as technique. It basically came down to the scientist looking at a modern art abstraction, and saying, "I don't get it," and the artist listening to the scientist, and saying "I don't understand it." As Jeffrey Epstein put it, "This reminds me of a story I heard about the physicist Richard Feynman who agreed to swap lessons in physics for lessons in art with his zany artist friend Jyair Zorthian. While Feynman was able to become a relatively decent draftsman, Zorthian, just couldn't pick up on the physics, much less the underlying beauty of electromagnetism that Feynman tried to show him with a coiled magnet. In that case, it was a disaster; the Two Cultures collided, in spite of Feynman's reputation as an exemplary physics teacher."

We still have this gap today. In 1963, Snow added a new essay, "The Two Cultures: A Second Look," in which he suggested that humanity would be greatly benefited by having this gap of communication close, so that not only could the Two Cultures benefit, but humanity would be enriched well. Snow coined this group the Third Culture. It is in this vein, Brockman has assembled a first class collection of minds from the disparate fields of hard-core science, philosophy, high-tech, and social enterprise, to provide a forum for eclectic and robust thinkers to discuss ideas that are bold, controversial, and cutting edge, and allow the public audience to have access to some of the deepest thoughts at the level of an intelligent reader, devoid of technical language.

As a publisher, Brockman has been the social glue for these minds, he has organized events, and has goaded them into giving away their unrehearsed thoughts on a variety of cutting edge and provocative questions, which he later gathers up and publishes as a collection of Edge essays.

Every year, Brockman issues a new question, and it is dutifully answered by many members of the Third Culture. Some of the questions can be profound and deep, others philosophical, and others, quite mundane. Nevertheless, given the people answering, there are always surprises, as able minds make the most of what's there. It is the imagination at play that's so much fun to watch.

Some answers to his questions are too glib, others, sarcastic, some downright idiotic, but there is enough richness in content to satisfy and stimulate even the casual curious mind. When asked for his recommendation of a good place to start, Jeffrey Epstein stated "If one were to search for richness and originality of thought among some of the world's elite, Brockman's annual question is my recommendation of a good place to start."

Profiles in Sciences, a website from Jeffrey Epstein, draws on some of those extraordinary bold thinkers and achievers, who have done so much to advance the frontiers of knowledge, with whom he have gotten the pleasure to know and support.

Jeffrey Epstein is interested in people who are not adverse to risk taking, and he often chooses to support some original and powerful mavericks and others who may work outside of the conventional scientific mainstream. Mr. Epstein has also supported those on the cutting edge, who have already achieved the highest possible scientific recognition by receiving a Nobel Prize.

Jeffrey wants to gain insight and understanding in their latest thoughts and paths. He wants to know what mystifies them, and what intrigues them, and perhaps, most of all, he wants to know where they think the most daring possibilities lie. What is left to discover?

Science is still a distinctly human enterprise of creative mind and thought. It is important to have dialogues with these scientists at a level that is substantive and qualitative. When Jeffrey Epstein talks with and interviews these scientists, the dialogues are not meant to be glib, but are to be pushing the limits of their own thoughts on matters that are important to them and to us. Jeffrey does not necessarily agree with the opinions of his subject interviews, but he lets them take their course, which is the same way that he supports these fine individuals through the Jeffrey Epstein Foundation, with no strings attached.

These individuals must display an exceptional creativity and inventiveness in his or her way of work, offering a decidedly new and verifiable way of thinking, imagining, or doing. Criteria may be imagining and building something entirely new; advancing a well-defined field in an unexpected way; or combining previously separate endeavors with surprising and original results.

Join Jeffrey Epstein as he profiles and explore their scientific thoughts and thought processes through interviews, where there is a candid exploration and discussion of their responses to the challenges of their times in intimate and informal language. Together, Jeffrey Epstein and these scientists will explore Big Questions and Big Answers that range from the mysteries of the creation of the Universe to the mysteries of the human mind. These are interviews that will discuss not only how we are going about fundamentally changing our understanding our knowledge of our world, but also how we are applying such knowledge to change it for the benefit of humanity.