Stephen Hawking clarified this week that he was an atheist because science had provided him with a “more convincing” explanation of the origins of the universe.
According to NBC News, Hawking made the comments to the Spanish-language paper El Mundo during the Starmus Festival at Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
El Mundo’s Pablo Jauregui pointed out that Hawking had written in his book “A Brief History of Time” that scientists could “know the mind of God” if a unifying set of principles — or theory of everything — was discovered to explain the physical universe. But Hawking later wrote in “The Grand Design” that God was no longer necessary because science had provided a better understanding of the universe.
“Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe,” the world-famous theoretical physicist told Jauregui. “But now science offers a more convincing explanation.”
“What I meant by ‘we would know the mind of God’ is, we would know everything that God would know, if there were a God, which there isn’t,” he added. “I’m an atheist.”
However Hawking DOES believe that we are not alone in the universe.
“The idea that we are alone in the universe seems to me completely implausible and arrogant,” Hawking told the paper. “Considering the number of planets and stars that we know exist, it’s extremely unlikely that we are the only form of evolved life.”
I am in total agreement with both of these statements.
I have to say however that I have been counting Hawking as an Atheist for some time now, and am a little surprised that it took him this long to make it official.
Could have a little something to do with the fact that people generally have a lower opinion of Atheists than they do child molesters, rapists, and pond scum.
Thank god he finally admitted it!
ReplyDeleteLOL BJC.
DeleteAmen!
DeleteI say "Thank GOD!" and "Thank You, Jesus!" out loud when i'm really happy about something but i'm secretly thanking The Ether.
DeleteTo me, The Ether is the space we share between our individual molecules, going as far out as the edge of space. It's the 'space' that connects us and it's very powerful. Thoughts and feelings travel over The Ether, and concentration on that space is 'prayer'. Is God not everywhere?
It's easier to Thank Jesus than to explain The Ether :)
"I have yet to see a successful prediction about the physical world that was inferred or extrapolated from the content of any religious document." Neil deGrasse Tyson
ReplyDelete" ... people generally have a lower opinion of Atheists than they do child molesters, rapists, and pond scum. "
ReplyDeleteThose people subscribe to the 'atheists don't believe in a god therefore they are amoral' nonsense. That type of brainwashing has been going on for thousands of years.
@1:03
Delete"Those people subscribe to the 'atheists don't believe in a god therefore they are amoral' nonsense."
I agree completely. That is the same sort of logic as:
A fish swims.
A man swims.
Therefore a man is a fish.
Fellow atheist here. Married to one. We raised two more. We're all ethical, moral and hardworking. I'm a 4th grade teacher. I donate about 20% of my salary to my students each year (supplies, books, field trips). I teach a lot of science. I don't eat meat on Mondays. I don't hunt. I don't eat pork at all. I only buy free-range chicken and eggs and organic milk. I don't cheat on my taxes. I have an organic garden in my back yard. I drive an economical high milage car. I don't let the water run when I'm brushing my teeth. I'm pretty scary.
ReplyDeleteKudos.
DeleteI don't eat meat and especially pork, the conditions under which swine are slaughtered are horrifying. I imagine they're no better for any other livestock but ii don't want to look. PBS and the internet made me vegetarian. I really miss blt's sometimes.
I was once a Christian........then I realized just how conflicted this deity was.......the "omniscience" of said deity was highly overrated.....like the abusive father who now says it was love all the time.......
ReplyDeleteRaised Atheist, don't understand religious people, although I try to be polite if they enter my realm through work but I certainly don't have any religious friends. It's a deal breaker for me friendship wise, too wide of a gulf in ideology to be overcome.
ReplyDeletebut he's a retard
ReplyDeletewho cares what a retard says