In This Episode In this episode of Redefining Tomorrow, Phil Watson joins David Goldsmith for a wide-ranging conversation about mental models, innovation, uncertainty, and how the ways we understand the world influence what we build, pursue, and ultimately believe is possible. Beginning with a puzzle from Phil’s doctoral research in liquid crystal physics, the conversation moves from scientific discovery into the models humans create to make sense of complexity. Drawing on Phil’s experience at 3M and X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory, they explore what happens when assumptions are wrong, why discovering that something does not work can be valuable, and how curiosity, experimentation, and the willingness to change perspective can lead somewhere unexpected. Along the way, the discussion explores innovation, organizational systems, simplifying complexity, why we sometimes need to “lie to children,” the value of being wrong, optionality, joy, impact, and the challenge of knowing what consequences our actions may create. It eventually arrives at something deceptively simple: in a world filled with problems to solve and futures to build, there is also value in occasionally letting go and having a lovely afternoon. Episode Outlines A puzzle from Phil’s doctoral research in liquid crystal physics How humans build models to understand complex systems Why every model is incomplete—and why that matters Innovation, uncertainty, and learning through being wrong Lessons from developing new technologies at 3M and X Why simplifying complexity sometimes requires “lying to children” Questioning assumptions instead of becoming attached to them Optionality, flexibility, and navigating an uncertain future Finding joy when an old model suddenly breaks Impact, unintended consequences, and how little of the future we can actually see Why solving problems cannot become the entirety of life The value of letting go—and having a lovely afternoon Biography of the Guest Phil Watson is an applied physicist, inventor, technology innovation executive, and systems thinker whose career has focused on moving emerging science and technology toward real-world application. For more than a decade at X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory, Phil worked on the creation and development of emerging technologies. He led X’s Rapid Evaluation team, responsible for investigating and shaping potential new moonshot projects, and later served as a Project General Manager working on computational design, photonics, and next-generation computing infrastructure. His work has centered on identifying the assumptions most likely to cause an ambitious idea to fail—and using what is learned to determine what should happen next. Before joining X, Phil spent many years at 3M, leading optical technology development, systems integration, and innovation teams in the United States and Singapore. He also served on 3M’s Genesis Committee, its internal seed-investment organization supporting emerging technologies. Phil holds a Ph.D. in physics from Kent State University, where his doctoral research at the Liquid Crystal Institute explored emerging display technologies. He is a named inventor on more than 50 issued U.S. patents. Today, Phil is the founder of Applied Emergence, where his work explores how causal mapping, simulation, artificial intelligence, and other tools can help people navigate complex systems and uncertain futures. He also works with Project Moon Hut and across the Mearth ecosystem, helping translate emerging concepts into technical and commercial architectures, including work with Mearth Exchange Systems. Across physics, invention, corporate R&D, moonshot development, and complex systems, a consistent thread runs through Phil’s career: questioning assumptions, learning from what does not work, and searching for the shift in perspective that makes something previously unseen possible. This is an episode of the Redefining Tomorrow podcast. 🎧 Listen now on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms. 🔗 Learn more at https://mearth.com, where we're expanding human thinking by exploring the ideas, people, and innovations shaping tomorrow.
