Why people recommend it
The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch is a sweeping science and philosophy text that champions cosmic-level optimism and the idea that problems are infinite but always solvable through human knowledge. George Mack recommended the book on Modern Wisdom while discussing the infinite nature of problems, and Stewart Brand similarly suggested it to Ezra Klein's audience as a profound exploration of ongoing solutions. Jimmy Carr praised the book on both The Joe Rogan Experience and Modern Wisdom, stating that its insights on humanity, knowledge, and memes completely blew his mind. Jim O'Shaughnessy recommended the work twice on Modern Wisdom, praising the Oxford quantum physicist's scaffolding of Enlightenment ideas as essential reading for navigating the future. Richard Craib told the Lex Fridman Podcast that it is perhaps his favorite book due to its deeply optimistic worldview, and Natalya Bailey mentioned on the same podcast that the volume formally introduced her to rigorous ideas in physics and philosophy.
Who recommended it
- Jimmy Carr Recommended
- Chris Williamson Discussed
- Jim O'Shaughnessy Recommended
- George Mack Recommended
- Stewart Brand Recommended
- Naval Ravikant Discussed
- Gad Saad Discussed
- Aravind Srinivas Discussed
- Neal Stephenson Discussed
- Richard Craib Recommended
- Natalya Bailey Recommended
- Marie Forleo Recommended
- Steven Pinker Discussed
Jimmy Carr — 3 mentions
“I love that thing with uh that book, The Beginning of Infinity. I can't get over that. What book is that? Who wrote that? It's uh uh beginning of infinity. I think it's uh David Deutsch.”
“and that thing of uh when and when you think about Humanity I read this uh I read this book recently um David Deutsch the beginning of infinity M and it's like it blew my mind”
“and I read um uh David deutsche's uh the beginning of infinity and was just blown away by”
Chris Williamson — 2 mentions
“So you know if you're trying to read beginning of infinity by David do you got Yeah. Exactly. you're switched on, right?”
“the answer I've had for this is if you look at something like David Deutsch's beginning of infinity which I think is an amazing idea”
Jim O'Shaughnessy — 2 mentions
“but who i even recommend you read more is a book i reread called the beginning of infinity by david deutsch who is a quantum physicist at oxford”
“and if they said hey read the beginning of infinity by david deutsch i would read that book”
George Mack — 1 mention
“I hate to sound like I'm doing an affiliate link for the beginning of infinity which I am. I'll post it in the link problems are infinite.”
Stewart Brand — 1 mention
“What are three books you’d recommend to the audience? I recommend David Deutsch’s "The Beginning of Infinity" It’s basically optimism at a cosmic level, and it’s full of the realization that there are always problems and there are solutions, and that goes on infinitely.”
Naval Ravikant — 1 mention
“this is the beginning of infinity guy that's theity is always reference”
Gad Saad — 1 mention
“He wrote two uh best-selling books I think one of them is called the edge of infinity”
Aravind Srinivas — 1 mention
“Like that's the whole concept of 'The Beginning of Infinity' book by David Deutsch.”
Neal Stephenson — 1 mention
“david deutsch in particular his book the beginning of infinity um is that he talks about the power of explanations and the fact that”
Richard Craib — 1 mention
“maybe my favorite book is david deutsch's beginning of infinity um i just found that so optimistic”
Natalya Bailey — 1 mention
“the beginning of infinity do you know what by david deutsch um so he's a physicist um i think at cambridge or oxford and so i was introduced like more formally to a lot of the ideas”
Marie Forleo — 1 mention
“there's an amazing book called the beginning of infinity by a quantum theorist named david deutsch and he has this incredible quote which says everything that is not forbidden by the laws of nature is achievable given the right knowledge”
Steven Pinker — 1 mention
“certainly this book enlightenment now is influenced by David Deutsch as the beginning of infinity a rather deep reflection on knowledge and the power of knowledge to improve the human condition”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 1
“so like David deutch's book the beginning of infinity I read it and it's quite dry”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- The Fabric of Reality
- Enlightenment Now
- Man's Search for Meaning
- The Coddling of the American Mind
- The Selfish Gene
- 1900, or, The last president
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Pro almost certainly another Rory Sutherland. Maybe David Deutsch guy that wrote the beginning of Infinity.”
“I've seen him while he's reading David Deutsch's The Beginning of Infinity with ChatGPT open again.”
“What does he do? Meanwhile, he's reading David Doo's The Beginning of Infinity with all right. Uh, should we do a lesson?”