RIP Stephen Hawking.
Stephen Hawking has died
271–280 of 468 posts
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#272Earlier quoted context omitted.
To an atheist physicist God probably means the universe or the forces that govern the universe. They share many of the same properties, like being all powerful†, outside of time and space and being creators, not the created. † within the constraints of some universal logic
I agree, though to be clear - the difference between religion and science is that religion affords god with cognitive intent. I'd be surprised to hear if Hawking believed that the force that we might describe as god has qualities of compassion and judgement as well as having set forth the rules that govern atomic motion.
That's a tougher one, but maybe the universe has such an intent also. Take the principle of least action. It seems like systems take the path from A -> C that's shortest in total even if the chosen A -> B and B -> C are both longer than alternatives.
Maybe there is even a sense of "thinking" ahead to understand which path will be shorter before making the choice.
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#273He's the perfect example of how much you can achieve even on borrowed time. There's never a reason to truly lose hope
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#274Earlier quoted context omitted.
He died in π-day that also happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday.
It would destroy my sense of Hawking's rationally to imagine him using a month-day-year date ordering. ;o)
He would use year, month, day of course. The only format that makes sense. Shortened to month, day.
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#275For a second I just couldn't believe this was real. Stephen Hawking was one of those people that inspired me towards a career in science, as well as a pursuit of discovering what mysteries of the universe I could uncover within my (cosmically short) lifetime. He did this not through some major life-altering speech I heard from him (although his talks and lectures were quite interesting), or through some grand quote t…
That's an awesome eulogy. I tried to describe to my son this morning the kind of man Stephen Hawking was and struggled - I wish I had read this first!
I explained it to my son just like his own quote; "look up to the stars and not your feet". Be inspired and be curious.
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#276Sometimes the RNG of the Universe creates people with intelligence, innovation and insight that are one in a billion that make the world better than it was before in immense ways, Stephen Hawking is one of those mountain movers. People like Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, Nikola Tesla and even Elon Musk today, that make us look up, innovate and think way out there, bring us together and remind us we are all on this plan…
> People like Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, Nikola Tesla and even Elon Musk
One of these is certainly not like the others.
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#277I remember being in the fifth grade and finding my dad’s copy of “A Brief History of Time” and thinking to myself “wow that’s an interesting title..” I read it all (barely understanding any of it really cause I was 10) to my hearts content. That book taught me how to ask questions and think differently. I am so so grateful to have inhabited the Earth the same time Stephen Hawking did. Thank you for igniting my curiosity. Rest In Peace.
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#278Growing up in the middle of nowhere, Canada in the 1980s, the library didn't have many good science books. When Hawking's book got published, it was the only thing available like that anywhere around. Remember, this is before you could get any book in existence within one month via Amazon. There was no Amazon. I got A Brief History of Time and read it, and it's almost cliche to say so, but it changed the course of my…
Can you share the names of other physics books that you think are good & readable ?
Lee Smolin's "The trouble with physics" is pretty good.
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#279Earlier quoted context omitted.
Interesting. I would like to attribute my desire to live "forever", at least to some extent, to cosmic perspective. One day the universe might make me bored, but today is not that day, and I suspect tomorrow isn't either. I don't ever expect that day to come, but if I thought it was near I'd be very afraid indeed.
I would like to live indefinitely, but I do not want to. The cost to human society and our natural resources of a species of immortals is too much. I want human society to include births, children, growing up, dating, marriage and raising families. I want my children and our species generally to have a dynamic, continuously renewing culture. I just don’t see how those things are compatible with immortality. Just don’…
If you're immortal, then the "climb on a starship for 1000 years" deal starts looking a lot better. That would open up a lot of new resources to turn in to living people with lives to experience.
(P.S. we're not anywhere near close to using our current resources completely or efficiently, so please stick around and help us get a little closer!)
Re: Stephen Hawking has died
#280Earlier quoted context omitted.
Interesting. I would like to attribute my desire to live "forever", at least to some extent, to cosmic perspective. One day the universe might make me bored, but today is not that day, and I suspect tomorrow isn't either. I don't ever expect that day to come, but if I thought it was near I'd be very afraid indeed.
I think a good way to say it might be: I'm not afraid of death, I'm afraid of not existing.
Time. Afraid of time. At least at this point in it.