Is Reality Beautiful?

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In much of contemporary art, beauty is often dismissed as a distraction from deeper, more unsettling truths. Yet in science, beauty continues to guide discovery. In his acclaimed book A Beautiful Question, Nobel Prize–winning physicist Frank Wilczek explores how the pursuit of beauty has shaped some of the most profound insights into the nature of reality.

But how do we reconcile the elegance of theory with the messiness of experiment? Can symmetry, harmony, and simplicity still serve as reliable guides in a world that often resists aesthetic order?

In an early episode of Scientific Controversies, Janna Levin hosts Frank Wilczek and NYU physicist Glennys Farrar for a thought-provoking dialogue at the intersection of science, philosophy, and aesthetics. Together, they explore the timeless question: Is reality inherently beautiful—or do we merely wish it to be?

This project is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Program in Public Understanding of Science and Technology, bridging the two cultures of science and the arts.

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