Metaphorically speaking:
Posted on 05/15/2011 7:58:19 PM PDT by Steelfish
Stephen Hawking: 'There Is No Heaven; It's A Fairy Story' In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the cosmologist shares his thoughts on death, M-theory, human purpose and our chance existence
Sunday 15 May 2011
A belief that heaven or an afterlife awaits us is a "fairy story" for people afraid of death, Stephen Hawking has said. In a dismissal that underlines his firm rejection of religious comforts, Britain's most eminent scientist said there was nothing beyond the moment when the brain flickers for the final time.
Hawking, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 21, shares his thoughts on death, human purpose and our chance existence in an exclusive interview with the Guardian today.
The incurable illness was expected to kill Hawking within a few years of its symptoms arising, an outlook that turned the young scientist to Wagner, but ultimately led him to enjoy life more, he has said, despite the cloud hanging over his future.
"I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first," he said.
"I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark," he added.
Hawking's latest comments go beyond those laid out in his 2010 book, The Grand Design, in which he asserted that there is no need for a creator to explain the existence of the universe. The book provoked a backlash from some religious leaders, including the chief rabbi, Lord Sacks, who accused Hawking of committing an "elementary fallacy" of logic.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
This may sound cruel but methinks that S.Hawkins is a bunch of sour grapes. He is irrelevant on this subject.
For eternity, Stephen Hawking wasn’t conscious, but now he is. He’d probably say that’s impossible, too.
Science tell us the how, and religion tell us why. Your home did not just appear out of the blue one day with all it features and different rooms. Someone built it... Your computer did not just appear out of no where with Windows, the Internet and email one day. Someone built it. It like love. You can’t prove it, but you know and feel it’s there.
Steven Hawking is in disagreement with Max Plank and Albert Einstein. Even if I was not sure when it came to this question, there is no way I would bet against Plank and Einstein.
Obviously you aren't.
No, he thinks the universe has always exited. There is no “before”
If you create the concept of an eternal god, whey not eternal universe. If something can be eternal why do you chose god when your senses say otherwise.
He says that the universes existence is not solved by creating a chicken and egg fallacy
Until he can explain human consciousness, he doesn't understand squat.
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the the universe. - Albert Einstein
How exactly is Hawking in disagreement with them? Inquiring minds want to know.
I thought this guy was supposed to be smart.
I also think that S. Hawkings is not getting any attention as of late. Sorry that I don’t have any pity for his affliction when he, sort of angrily, comes up with this tripe. He will meet his Maker one day.
Dr. Stangelove comes to mind... Also going mad in a wheelchair!
Because whereas an eternally existing God is merely a mystery, an eternally existing universe is an absurdity.
"This is what happens when a good deal of intelligence is invested in ignorance, when the need for illusion is deep."
Religious delusions?
I’d like to see his proof of this assertion.
Metaphorically speaking:
Hawking is implying that there is no God. Don’t say he is not. I have already seen where he said this before. It’s not new. Came out in the last year or so... At any rate,
Let me give you one of my favorite quotes from Max Plank....,
When Max Plank accepted the Nobel price for Physics these were his words,
“As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear headed science to the study of matter. I can tell you as the result of my research about atoms this much. There is no matter as such… All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter.”
Do you know what Einstein was trying to figure out when he passed away? Look it up if you do not know.
If humans practiced the evolution that people like Hawking preach, then someone like himself would have been left at the wayside to die... animals have no use for sick or crippled members of their own species.
And of course, there are plenty of very sick people who embrace God with faith that makes almost all of us blush... so what makes Prof. Hawking so special?
“A belief that heaven or an afterlife awaits us is a ‘fairy story’ for people afraid of death...”
_________________________________________________________
No Stephen, we know death is inevitable; it’s you who fears, or are too arrogant to come to the Light.
Proverbs 1:7
“7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
>>> Britain’s most eminent scientist said there was nothing beyond the moment when the brain flickers for the final time.
Funny, he doesn’t sound British.
>>> He thinks matter comes from nothing? This is a scientist?
Applying Occam’s Razor that’s a simpler concept then believing an all powerful intelligent force came from nothing. That’s where faith comes in. No?
As for being a scientist, no he is being a philosopher, though unfairly given a boost from his legitimate scientific reputation. But as a philosopher, his opinions are worth no more then the next fellow. Anyone is entitled to an opinion, but by definition his mastery of physics does not address the metaphysical.
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