Stephen Hawking: God did not create the universe

[Clarkey]

I don't know shart all about physics or philosophy.

You can not definitively prove that there was or was not a creator behind the universe.

There's my agnostic 2 cents.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by peter12

actual atheists like Nietzsche and Marx aren't properly read or understood anymore

Now forgive me if I'm wrong, but the impression I get from this comment is that you can't be an actual atheist unless you have read the books (and understood them) by these "important" atheists.

I don't see it working like that. People don't have to understand the rationale that someone else came up with to not believe in something.

You just don't believe, for whatever reason. That's it. It doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need a Ph.D in philosophy to not believe in something.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by peter12

Well, I think there are two ways that we can conquer death. That is, two ways to live a great life.

One is the immortality of public life. That is using our words, actions etc... to build and do things that last beyond our time.

The other is the eternal contemplation of universal things. This is philosophy. To some, this involves a removal from all things eternal, essentially self-imposed death, and a reverie in the private life of the mind. Of course, in doing this, one opens up to an entire wealth of knowledge and learning that is not available to those struck with the necessities of real life.

Neither of those helps you when you're dead. This is all there is. Enjoy it.

[T@T]

While I don't believe in a "god" that created the universe I can see some supporting views in a somewhat possitive manner, but I so get pissed about these blip in time 2000 year old religious "gods" that control our culture...were taking dumb-dumb theories to new heights with this crap.

Jesus Christ, Muhammad,etc should be piled in the same place as Santa Claus,Humpty Dumpty and the Tooth Fairy IMO.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by SebC

Neither of those helps you when you're dead. This is all there is. Enjoy it.

I agree, when your dead..your dead. we are not much different than the fly you swat or the ant you walk on everyday, same crap,Made up with Carbon,Hydrogen that breaths Oxygen and Nitrogen, but the human brain is different,It's more advanced threw evolution and has a great built in hard-drive, if you live life to the fullest and be the best you can be for family and friends your life will go on in their memories. We remember!

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by SebC

Neither of those helps you when you're dead. This is all there is. Enjoy it.

Dang, they've developed resurrection technology?! What was the other side like? I'm assuming not so well, considering there is no other side. . . . As a matter of fact, how did they even resurrect you, considering there's no after life?! Are you some type of doppleganger from another dimension?!

[Jake]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

From a science point of view, how can anyone ever expect an organism that was created within a system to ever be able to develop the intelligence capacity to unravel the secrets of the system that it was created in? The complexity of the universe will always be greater than the abilities of the human mind in my opinion.

How can we expect it? We have already discovered many/ maybe all of its fundamental governing forces. Forces like gravity, electromagnetism, strong forces and weak forces. We have developed and extensive understanding of those forces, and therefore, the "system" we live in.

The universe has already created an organism that has developed the intelligence capacity to unravel it's secrets. That much, at least, is a fact.

In my opinion, there is no god. Only those four forces, and maybe some more undiscovered ones.

[photon]

My favorite cosmologist weighs in.



http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/co...e-and-for-all/

[sclitheroe]

I’m going to investigate this more fully, but I don’t understand one thing at this point - Hawking says that certain fundamental laws like gravity pre-dispose the universe to self creation. That’s great, except for one thing - those laws were derived, and exist within, the system he claims created them. Sort of a chicken and the egg problem, no? How does he resolve this tension?

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

So then you assert there are common passions or ideals that people strive for? If so, what are they?

To be excellent at what you're best at.
To be highly-regarded and well liked.
To be loved.

and thus...

To be immortal.

[narbeZ]

There is a God and he is a MAN. If there is one thing I despise (as much if not more) in this world besides people who don't shave or shower in the morning it is over 50 single/divorced WOMEN. They always believe they are right, and that things have to be done to THEIR specifications. People end up breaking their backs for them because they are so goddamn BITCHY. narbeZ and old women just don't get along. One time I was in an unfair argument, getting told what to do and how to do it by a woman, and I just stopped her in her tracks with four small words. "I AM A MAN". Those word's will put her in her place pretty quick. The rant she laid down on me was unbelievable, but it still doesn't change the fact that I AM A MAN, AND YOU ARE A WOMAN. I thought she was gonna cry.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by narbeZ

There is a God and he is a MAN. If there is one thing I despise (as much if not more) in this world besides people who don't shave or shower in the morning it is over 50 single/divorced WOMEN. They always believe they are right, and that things have to be done to THEIR specifications. People end up breaking their backs for them because they are so goddamn BITCHY. narbeZ and old women just don't get along. One time I was in an unfair argument, getting told what to do and how to do it by a woman, and I just stopped her in her tracks with four small words. "I AM A MAN". Those word's will put her in her place pretty quick. The rant she laid down on me was unbelievable, but it still doesn't change the fact that I AM A MAN, AND YOU ARE A WOMAN. I thought she was gonna cry.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by narbeZ

There is a God and he is a MAN. If there is one thing I despise (as much if not more) in this world besides people who don't shave or shower in the morning it is over 50 single/divorced WOMEN. They always believe they are right, and that things have to be done to THEIR specifications. People end up breaking their backs for them because they are so goddamn BITCHY. narbeZ and old women just don't get along. One time I was in an unfair argument, getting told what to do and how to do it by a woman, and I just stopped her in her tracks with four small words. "I AM A MAN". Those word's will put her in her place pretty quick. The rant she laid down on me was unbelievable, but it still doesn't change the fact that I AM A MAN, AND YOU ARE A WOMAN. I thought she was gonna cry.

This is priceless.

Just out of curiosity... how exactly does a young, clean-shaven man get himself in situations that would have him arguing with older women or, more importantly, being angrily told what to do by an older woman?

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

This is priceless.

Just out of curiosity... how exactly does a young, clean-shaven man get himself in situations that would have him arguing with older women or, more importantly, being angrily told what to do by an older woman?

Day shift at the 7-11, no doubt.

[algernon]

Originally Posted by narbeZ

There is a God and he is a MAN. If there is one thing I despise (as much if not more) in this world besides people who don't shave or shower in the morning it is over 50 single/divorced WOMEN. They always believe they are right, and that things have to be done to THEIR specifications. People end up breaking their backs for them because they are so goddamn BITCHY. narbeZ and old women just don't get along. One time I was in an unfair argument, getting told what to do and how to do it by a woman, and I just stopped her in her tracks with four small words. "I AM A MAN". Those word's will put her in her place pretty quick. The rant she laid down on me was unbelievable, but it still doesn't change the fact that I AM A MAN, AND YOU ARE A WOMAN. I thought she was gonna cry.

You could've shortened that down to three small words, "I'M A MAN", had you not wasted the apostrophe on "word's".

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

This is priceless.

Just out of curiosity... how exactly does a young, clean-shaven man get himself in situations that would have him arguing with older women or, more importantly, being angrily told what to do by an older woman?

I bet he's into corporate sales:

[algernon]

[GGG]

Does quantum physics now dictate that at the point of singularities the laws of thermodynamics no longer apply? In that energy can be created from nothing because of the way gravity works? Or has the total energy of the universe always existed whether in what we call the universe or hiding as dark energy?

Has the total energy in the universe has always existed in some form science still as an eternity paradox which religion likes to resolve with God. Has physics found math that can create energy from nothing

[Flamesguy_SJ]

Originally Posted by SebC

Well, we can make a computer that can beat us at chess.

[photon]

Originally Posted by GGG

Does quantum physics now dictate that at the point of singularities the laws of thermodynamics no longer apply?

A singularity isn't necessarily a real entity.. that the GR equations indicate a singularity at t=0 doesn't indicate a real singularity, it means undefined; that the math isn't adequate to the task of describing things at that point.

And yes the laws of thermodynamics may not apply; we know they apply in our universe, but we don't know if they apply to all universes, or the creation of universes.

Originally Posted by GGG

In that energy can be created from nothing because of the way gravity works?

In a way yes, gravity is sometimes seen as negative energy, and if you add up all the energy in the universe from matter and momentem and radiation, and compare it to gravity, you get zero.

Not only that, the density of dark energy is constant, so as the universe expands it has more energy (hence the inflation accelerating), so energy isn't necessarily conserved... conservation of energy isn't necessary in GR, something about it not being well defined or something (beyond me).

Originally Posted by GGG

Or has the total energy of the universe always existed whether in what we call the universe or hiding as dark energy?

If you see it as a net energy of zero, then the energy didn't need to exist.

I'm really interested to see the book though.