Yesterday’s tortured attempts by US and Israeli officials to make the peace talks between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority all about Iran were sort of par for the course, and no one was really surprised when a report that the IAEA tried to convince Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the last Mideast nation that has yet to do so was answered by copious Israeli references to Iran.
But something else happened this week. Stephen Hawking, one of the foremost theoretical physicists in history and the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambrigde announced that there was no God that was responsible for the creation of the universe. Surely that has nothing to do with Iran, right?
Not so, suggests an Israeli scientist quoted by the Jerusalem Post today, who insisted Hawking’s atheism was because “he sees what is going on in the world – fundamentalism is spreading. People reach a lot of conclusions that are dangerous; think of Iran, al-Qaida. They want to blow up the world.”
Putting aside the question of why Iran would “want to blow up the world,” which is where Iran is located, one cannot but marvel at the singular mindset, increasingly common not just in Israel but in political discourse in the US, wherein any story can and will be made all about Iran.
Haven't read the book yet, but Hawking's take seems to be that natural laws, particularly gravity, explain the initial existence and expansion of energy and matter in the universe perfectly well without the need for the involvement of any Creator. Therefore he will likely do for cosmology what Richard Dawkins did for biology in The Blind Watchmaker.
But, no, it's all about Israel. *shakes head*
Can Physics explain abstract things like thinking, love, emotions etc?
No, especially the "love", "freedom" and "liberty" as practiced and applied by religious fanatics of all denominations. Mother Nature's laws are about RESPECT, but that is incomprehensible to control freaks and war mongers.
If you are a materialist, as opposed to a dualist, then yes physics can explain abstract things like love and emotion. The materialist theory of mind suggests that all mental states are due to the complex electrical and neurochemical processes that occur in our brains. How these electrical and neurochemical processes result in various mental states is not fully understood, but according to the materialist theory of mind it is not necessary to invoke a processes other than those due to the physical matter that constitutes our brains to understand conscienousness and our various mental states.
Oh God – can I not get away from this total non-story *anywhere*? What is the headline here? "Physicist Believes Physics Explains The Universe"? As if that was a shock to anybody. Seriously – why does the news media carry crap like this instead of real news stories like the phoniness of the "end" of the Iraq War, the government war against our civil liberties, and the scamming of this nation into bankruptcy by Wall Street, with the complicity of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Congress?
Yeah, stupid question, I know…
Not all physicists, not by far, think there is no God. Usually only the media pets are, curiosly isn't it, always "in line" with all the "progressist" dogma.
Right on. I smelled a plant [as it were] right away, even before seeing this on antibwar's blog. Another one from the distractions file.
"Smart-ass physicist says he knows more than anyone, dumps on God"
What's next, >Man bites dog — discuss"?
Every rational human being has come to the same conclusion as Stephen Hawking. Thank you Stephen Hawking for having the courage to say it publicly. All gods are men made to help control the serfs.
I won't think it is rational to deny the existence of a creator, or god if you wish, until someone can give me a logical and definitive answer to this one question: how can something (the universe) come from nothing? And please, don't tell me that the universe had no beginning and that it will have no ending, because that is the same answer you get when you ask the question; where did god come from? So, then, until someone can logically and definitively answer my question as to the origin of the universe, and Hawking or no one else has to date, I will choose to go on believing in the existence of god – especially a personal one – and I believe god's name is Christ Jesus. One of the most interesting books I ever read on the subject of the origins of the universe: The Case for a Creator, by Lee Strobel (a former athesist and journalist who investigates scientific evidence that points toward the existence of god). It's a great read, even atheists will find it fascinating.
Mother Nature has given us brain to think and CHOOSE, I respect your beliefs. I also believe that religions are the root of all Evil and suffering human kind has experienced and is experiencing today. Separation of Religions from the States is a must if humanity is to survive. Religious lunatics by their fascist and irrational actions have PREVENTED scientific progress by millennium at least.
Denies gods, but always speaking of "Mother Nature". Talk about hypocrisy.
I no use Mother Nature in the context you "think" I do.
I beg to differ with you on your point that "religions are the root of all Evil and suffering human kind has experienced." My study of contemporary history (especially the last one hundred years) has taught me this: it is not religion that poses the greatest threat to human kind; it is the insatiable greed and unbridled lust for power by the international bankers and the international corporations and the governments that they control that poses the greatest threat to the lives, the liberties and the peaceful pursuit of happiness to all human beings, everywhere. By the way, why do you think that organized religion has anything to do with God?
Organized religions are tools of the corporations and bankers, of course they have nothing to do with non existent god, they INVENTED godS to control the "lesser" human beings. It is mainly about control and like you said GREED. Have a nice day.
Every single human being who has ever lived or ever will live either has or will appear before Jesus Christ for their final judgment. Nothing is more certain than that. It would be wise to be prepared to acknowledge now who HE is, the Creator God of the entire universe, and be prepared to have HIM acknowledge our right to eternal life with HIM in heaven. Hell on the other hand will be crowded for sure with those who deny who HE is.
A belief is not a fact Richard.
God knew that Stephen Hawkins talk against him so he end up in the chair.Not so funny?
From nothing world created? Nothingness would stay as a nothing and something say physic created the world? how long the nothingness was there?when there was a nothing how come Physic just show up to create the world?How come natural laws physic was there just like that?
I am sure some of you had an experience with supernatural things like ghost ,well I am one of you that experience it the ones had an experience will believe me,so where that come from? its nothing to do with a physic>
Well Stephan Hawking keep playing with your chair,who ever design your chair it was not physic it was a technician who did it,so that man is your God. God bless your technician and God Bless you,you have your excuse.
Dude, hate to blow it for ya.. but "nothing" is a mental construct that exists only within your mind. Kind of like "Heaven" and "Perfection," there is no actual state of "nothingness." The other reality flash I have for you is that Mr. Hawking didn't start to do his serious work -until- he "ended up in the chair." So, did God fuck up? or what? Preemptive punishment gone wrong? Oh, I know- it's the mystery of God's will. The fall-back answer for every uncomfortable question put to those of your ilk. Sorry, it don't wash. Good luck with it though. As long as it gets you through.
Happy hoping!
Steven Hawking is entitled to his opinion as is everyone else. I would doubt that even he would have the temerity to call this pronouncement a 'theory', having as it doesn't, even minimal empirical evidence upon which to base it.
That so much order could initiate, and then derive from such a chaotic experience as 'Big Bang' is a stretch of reason.
Is Steven saying that there is an eternal 'something'?
Smacks of another religion.
exactly. Science as religion. It's heinous, and what makes it even more heinous is that the 'logic' types are not even the slightest bit aware that they've created their own religion, in the name of no religion.
Very funny. How about "empirical evidence" on the God hypothesis? Physics is a body of scientific theory, continuously tested and refined. God is just a campfire story.
LOL
The "analysts" declaring that Hawking is influenced by some sort of world angst caused by Iran know almost half as much as Hawking does about any of that…
Did Ahmedinejad also "pull some strings" to set the volcano in Iceland into eruption recently? Enquiring minds want to know…
Does anyone listen to these clowns?
Good stuff.
Rob:
This is the first I've heard of the connection between Ahmadinijad and the Icelandic volcano. What further information do you have on this? Also, does it relate to Iceland's new Wikileaks-friendly legislation? Thank you for anything you can provide.
My son is learning how to use the potty by himself, but sometimes he has accidents and doesn't get there in time. Despite my best efforts, my theory is that there is an Iranian hiding in my house who is holding him back when he tries to use the bathroom. Likewise, I'm sure that he is planning to secretly build a nuclear device and detonate it in my house, given that my children's toys are always strewn about (like they would be in a nuclear explosion) and if you drew lines in between them in certain ways it spells IRAN RULES, ISRAEL DROOLS. Obviously Iran is behind these evils. I'm convinced.
Hawking makes pronouncements much like the US Gov't does. The war in Iraq is over; there is no god! Thanks Stephen. The Sunni's had an "awakening" when in reality they were paid off. Gravity rules Hawking's universe when in reality the theory has lots of problems so voila "dark matter!" He's the Aristotle of our time.
Hawking must be having a real laugh at the fools who take him seriously; I guess in that sense he is "smarter" than anyone else, but only like the con man and his dupes.
Rather than any "new" discovery [hey, I thought "physicists" were supposed to discover stuff, not make shit up]. here are the same semi-metaphorical sleights of hand dating back to Voltaire.
There is no God, but "the blue touch paper just gets lit." Uh, Stevie, before the universe [i.e., everything] exists, where's the paper and match come from, and who lights the one with the other?
Oh, it's just a metaphor.
For what?
[Silence from mechanical voicebox]
It's really embarrassing at this point. We all know why he hates God: just look at him. But the MSM keeps wheeling him out every couple years to remind us that "science" says there is no God.
I'm no "creationist" or Christer but I've had enough of this phony "cosmology" the physicists like to get famous enough to twiddle around with, like getting bumped upstairs to "honorary chairman" or "emeritus" hedge fund trader. It's a lot easier to spin fairy tales that do lab work or math, I suppose; that's just for the grad student grunts.
As far as the warmongers are concerned, the reason that antiwar.com and Jason Ditz exist has to do with Iran. So, if as Hillary Clinton threatened, Iran is obliterated, then all problems will be solved. Hawking will find God, Iraq war will be truly over, we "win" in Afghanistan – by then expanded to the eastern half of Iran; the Western half will be given to Iraq – and Ditz and Antiwar.com disappear. Hay, another good reason to attack Iran!!
And in the sporting newsof today – “The Red Sox continue to struggle to catch up with the Yankees; club management hope that tightened sanctions against Iran will get Red Sox’ bats going again.”
the day Gravity will allow the Angry Freak to get out of his high tech weelchair ( despite all his knowledge and all the technology of the world) the sound and beautiful sons of Adam will start looking and listening at the preaching monster.
A Law is enshrined in the Constitution of the Universes : ” When a freaky creature does not have neither the Knowledge nor the Power of formulating a Theory about something as simple as GETTING OUT of a weelchair or improving the decency of His appearance, no right is logically, rethorically esthetically and ethically allowed to him to adventure in formulating theories about something like his neighbourhood or England a fortiori the Universe…
This little freak and small-minded guy theorizing about God is the joke of the new millenia.
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"Putting aside the question of why Iran would “want to blow up the world,” which is where Iran is located"
Haha. Hilarity.
Wow, a bunch of crazy-retarded religious nuts posted comments. They're so hostile, too. Sad babies with their dead religion, wish reality cared about their imaginary friends :(
Once upon a time ,in one of his book,Stephen Hawkins let a small place for the creation ,a frame before the big bang,now with the time running out i suppose,no more political correctness,here comes the conclusion ,no place for god,just energy rules ,no big brother above your shoulder,no people who tell you that god spoke to them and said"My little GW ,go and strike the evil axe,I'm your father"no more tea parties,no more billy graham,no more pope,no more dalai lama,buddha,mahomet,just the basic element and you
Actually it's US fundies who want to blow up the world. Read the works of Hal Lindsey, for example. Or check out Paul Boyer, _When Time Shall Be No More_, for a secular historian's account of the Dispensationalist movement.
Hawkins does not believe in a Creator. Newton did believe in a Creator. So what? Outside their specialty, they are Joe Blow.
My goodness people, can't you do any better than this? Jeez… how lame can you religious whackos get? Have any of you ever had a single original thought in your head?
And how does Hawking imagine that the laws of physics came into being?
I can define Atheism in 3 sentences. We come from nothing. We are here for no reason. We are going nowhere. This is what Hawkings believes. Do you wonder why most of the world's people profess some religion? The atheists have no answers.
Then they should just get with the program and pull some out their asses! >:(
Because it provides them with some kind of comfort, anything from emotional relief to ethnic identification depending on the religion.
When you're a NeoCon hammer, everything looks like an Iranian nail.
Any rational person knows that the Atheists have no answers. Thats why they are such a minority of the world's population. Atheism can be defined in three sentences. We come from nothing. We are here for no reason. We are going nowhere.
"I am saying that it is wholly unacceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons capability," he told poor old Andrew Marr. It was necessary for the Iranians," quoth he, "to get that message, loud and clear." Thus did our Middle East peace envoy prepare us for war with Persia. But I rather fear the Iranians got his "message" a long time ago: if you want to avoid threats from the likes of Lord Blair, you'd better buy a bomb pdq. After all, what he didn't announce was: "I am saying it is wholly unacceptable for North Korea to have nuclear capability." And we all know why.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators…
Sometimes, Blair sounded like the Israeli foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman. He and his Israeli boss believe Ahmadinejad is worse than Hitler – which takes some doing – and Lord Blair, as we know, is no appeaser. Oddly, however – since he's supposed to be our peacemaker between the two sides – "Israel" and "Palestine" were two words that went totally unmentioned, even though Blair blurted out to the Chilcot inquiry that there had been "phone calls" with Israelis during his decision-making conference with Bush over Iraq. Marr missed out there. What on earth were Blair and Bush talking to the Israelis about as they prepared to take us into this catastrophe? http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators…
Hawking's statement is a moot point , for he well knows that before about 3 billionths of a second after the Big bang , there is no physics or science .
Nor does he worry about Iran blowing up the world , besides there are about seven other countries that could do the same .
The only ones that should be worrying about Iran blowing up anything are the israelis :
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says that Israel has no fate other than annihilation, and urges a massive turnout for World Qods (Jerusalem) Day rallies. "Incontrovertibly, the fake and inhuman Zionist regime has no other destiny than annihilation and destruction," the IRGC said in a statement yesterday, according to the Iranian Fars News Agency.
With statements like that coming from all sectors of the Iranian regime , I dont blame he Israelis at all for being a bit paranoid .
…And it looks as if EVEN Fidel , points out Irans anti-semitic stance and is critical of it . So much so , that he warns of a war between US /Israel and Iran .
I am very impressed. I do have a couple questions for you personally however. Do you think youre thinking about doing a follow-up posting about this? Will you be going to keep bringing up-to-date
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