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 ...
That's really what it's all about.....opinion vs opinion. The agreement to discuss with an open mind all the possibilities.
Hawking’s thoughts on God and heaven are as misguided And relevant as those of a child who blames his parent for their shortcomings.
“If you create the concept of an eternal god, whey not eternal universe.”
Man created the concept of an Eternal God (including all He represents and espouses and fortells)? Where exactly did you find proof of this? If this is so man is collectively a lot brighter than I have previously noticed him to be.
As for the vastly different nature of matter versus God, they can’t be held as comprable to one another. Men have always thought that God occupies a realm above the one He created. We are imprisioned in the world of matter, subject to its laws and limitations. God transcends the limited world He created. Our understanding of “eternal” is limited by the plane we occupy, as the thought goes.
They hijacked our unions, they hijacked our political parties, they hijacked our nation; now they want to hijack Heaven?
There is no God and I built my house. What is the point you are trying to make?
I think it’s funny when you can’t argue facts you attack the person. LOL! Now how old are you?
I am sorry, how exactly did I attack you?
Wrong on Einstein too (what a surprise!)... He was trying to figure out how God thinks....
LOL Do you even know what GUT stands for?
Like I said earlier I would not bet against Planck and Einstein.
You do know they were wrong, when it came to QM?
I don’t know if a whole lot of loyal FReepers who post here have noticed that I have been gone a few days.
Last wednesday I received many urgent calls from family all across the lower 48 that were trying to get ahold of me, my self being in Alaska since 1992 I have not seen most of them for many years and over that time communication was not very often, and last week they were unable to get ahold of me to inform me my 80 year old mother had went into a diabetic coma.
The ICU head nurse said she was not going to make it through the night as she went through complete renal breakdown. It is very difficult trying to get seats on instant notice from Anchorage Alaska to any local hub near Modesto CA, at first all I found was 1st class and the price was beyond what I could afford on short notice and I was telling my sister there I could not make it.
But then several hours later the next shift nurse told me they had her stabilized and that she may make it through to the next day. I then called Alaska Airlines hoping for what used to be available in the past called “Family Bereavement Transit” where in a family emergency you can get an immediate seat at a reduced fair. Alaska Airlines said that was discontinued some years ago.
BUT...The booking officer basically just did it anyway and I was on the red eye flight that evening, was given a 40 minute layover in Seattle and then the connecting flight also Alaska was to Sacramento which is only 60 miles or so from Modesto.
And the full round trip with no 3 day advance booking was only $1178.00.
And that was given to me as a gift, yes it was free, I did not ask for it and the people that I have loyally worked for the last 16 years bought the ticket for me as a gift.
I just returned last evening and this is my first post since then. My mother, may she forever rest in peace gave me enough facial movement and sounds just in and out of consciousness heard me, heard her grandson over a loudspeaker phone giving a speech (my son still in Alaska) talking about his latest promotion to Corporal in the Jr. ROTC.
She passed away at 9 am friday.
In as such as to Steven Hawkins, I suppose he can believe what he must but I do not wish to believe what he thinks he wants ME to believe, I would lose whatever comfort and solace I have now if I was led to believe that my mothers spirit has just went nowhere and is just that, nothing.
I would much rather believe she will be part of my inner voice, she will be the foundation of my faith, my future wisdom, my sense of direction and they say often the spirit skips a generation in the merits of wisdom, fortune and legacy and that maybe all she was will not come back around and will now be there inside my son, her grandson.
So Mr. Steven Hawkins, please think again, don’t make us feel miserable just so it completes a mathematical equation you have conceived.
You are complaining about me? Have you been reading all the attacks on Hawking? Talk about hypocrisy.
You, on the other hand, think that anyone who disagrees with your complete rejection of all things metaphysical is a rube.
No, just delusional.
You make debate distasteful, almost to the point that you appear to shun open debate. But then, you just don’t have a need to hear anyone else’s opinion.
Why would I post here unless I like to debate? You seem to know that you are going to lose before we begin.
So why are you here on FreeRepublic??
To cause cognitive dissonance with people like you.
Good, I am glad that you are at least an agnostic and agree with me ninety nine percent of the time as an atheist. You don't believe in Allah do you?
Well the Cosmological Constant is a very interesting mistake. And Planck he figured out some interesting stuff, just with math. Neither of them liked QM, but then neither did Schrodinger. It is interesting that the people who created the theory didn't like it.
‘There Is No Heaven; It’s A Fairy Story’
It’s a bit sad such a great mind going to waste, on top of that he’ll have an eternity in which to regret his decision if he doesn’t come to know the Lord.
It is pretty common for scientists to dismiss things that require “faith.”
Consider the past treatment of scientists by the church. I know the church is not god. I get that. But, the suggest to represent God on earth.
Scientists require “facts” that can be examined and reproduced. They understand statistics and know that miracles may be explained away by random chance.
I don’t agree with them. But that is MY choice. I respect their choice. I simply do not agree with it. All the proof I need is in the faces of my children, and in the trees and grass outside my window. THOSE are too perfect to be the result of random chance. But what do I know? I almost flunked basic calculus.
Quantum Mechanics sucks, because it’s confusing and makes my eyes glaze over.
The same thing as a cosmetologist.
Let the perm sit for at least 20 minutes.
I believe it was Aristotle who called the pursuits of metaphysical knowledge the highest calling of the human mind. One has to venture beyond the simple pursuits of matters that can be proven; some minds are not up to that task.
Projection?
Having fun in your echo chamber?
Remember, there is a difference between wisdom and intelligence. Mr. Hawking has the intelligence but lacks wisdom. So sad.
Everything down to thermodynamics will get turned on its head. It would make for very exciting times : )
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