God did not create the universe, says Hawking

[Daniel]

God did not create the universe, says Hawking | Reuters

God did not create the universe, says Hawking

By Michael Holden

LONDON | Thu Sep 2, 2010 9:08am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - God did not create the universe and the "Big Bang" was an inevitable consequence of the laws of physics, the eminent British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking argues in a new book.

In "The Grand Design," co-authored with U.S. physicist Leonard Mlodinow, Hawking says a new series of theories made a creator of the universe redundant, according to the Times newspaper which published extracts on Thursday.

"Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist," Hawking writes.

"It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going."

Hawking, 68, who won global recognition with his 1988 book "A Brief History of Time," an account of the origins of the universe, is renowned for his work on black holes, cosmology and quantum gravity.

Since 1974, the scientist has worked on marrying the two cornerstones of modern physics -- Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, which concerns gravity and large-scale phenomena, and quantum theory, which covers subatomic particles.

His latest comments suggest he has broken away from previous views he has expressed on religion. Previously, he wrote that the laws of physics meant it was simply not necessary to believe that God had intervened in the Big Bang.

He wrote in A Brief History ... "If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason -- for then we should know the mind of God."

In his latest book, he said the 1992 discovery of a planet orbiting another star other than the Sun helped deconstruct the view of the father of physics Isaac Newton that the universe could not have arisen out of chaos but was created by God.

"That makes the coincidences of our planetary conditions -- the single Sun, the lucky combination of Earth-Sun distance and solar mass, far less remarkable, and far less compelling evidence that the Earth was carefully designed just to please us human beings," he writes.

Hawking, who is only able to speak through a computer-generated voice synthesizer, has a neuro muscular dystrophy that has progressed over the years and left him almost completely paralyzed.

He began suffering the disease in his early 20s but went on to establish himself as one of the world's leading scientific authorities, and has also made guest appearances in "Star Trek" and the cartoons "Futurama" and "The Simpsons."

Last year he announced he was stepping down as Cambridge University's Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a position once held by Newton and one he had held since 1979.

"The Grand Design" is due to go on sale next week.

(Editing by Steve Addison)

[Sandman]

And here we go.

[Il Duce]

*grabs popcorn and awaits for the contestants to enter*

[Guest jackdm3]

In the voice of Beetlejuice: "Step right up. Test your spiritual strength."

[molonlabetn]

Lol... Unproven Theory vs. Intangible Belief.

There is no valid argument except by someone who was there.

[Daniel]

Lol... Unproven Theory vs. Intangible Belief.

There is no valid argument except by someone who was there.

sshhhh! You're going to ruin it.

[Handsome Rob]

Just bfore this blows up beyond all comprehension (again) I'd just like to point out that Stephen Hawking is a THEORETICAL physicist. He devises possible THEORIES based on what little evidence is available to him. He neither poses nor presents his theories as fact.

Can all the creationists please remeber this. He never (& to the best of my knowledge, no other Theoretical Physicist has either) claims any of his ideas to be impirical truths.

The argument of creation vs. Big Bang/evolution will never be more than an argument between to theroetical possibilities. One based on Scientific principals that cannot be proven, the other based on a book that could easily be a work of fiction.

[molonlabetn]

Exactly... true science is observation based upon repeatable experiments.

Quantum Physics is much like political polling, how you ask the question influences the answer. So, all you end up with is a bunch of collided particles and radiation with widely varying statistical trends which do not match accepted formulas without an unknown margin of error.

[Daniel]

It would have worked too, if it wasnt for you meddling kids!

[Links2k]

[Guest EB31]

Unreal

[gnmwilliams]

Ahhh! I'm too late! Oh well. I never argue about my faith anyway. It's mine and no one can take it from me. That and my cookiedough ice cream. Paws off my faith and ice cream.

Edited September 2, 2010 by gnmwilliams

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

[Guest jackdm3]

Beat me to it.

[willis68]

This is supposed to be a frickin Gun forum, what the hell is wrong with you people turning this into a Holy war? this is the most irresponsible thread that I have ever seen and sadly it was posted by a moderator, it truly is sad what has become of TGO

Edited September 2, 2010 by willis68

[Mike.357]

"Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist," Hawking writes.

So couldn't God have created gravity?

[Guest db99wj]

Ahhh! I'm too late! Oh well. I never argue about my faith anyway. It's mine and no one can take it from me. That and my cookiedough ice cream. Paws off my faith and ice cream.

Replace your cookiedough, albeit it is a close 2nd, with Bluebell Cookies and Cream....and that is me....of course BR's Mint Choco chip is in their as well, aw hell, they are all my favorites, just depends on my mood.

[Mike.357]

This is supposed to be a frickin Gun forum, what the hell is wrong with you people turning this into a Holy war? this is the most irresponsible thread that I have ever seen and sadly it was posted by a moderator, it truly is sad what has become of TGO

This is the General Off Topic section of TGO. I take General Off Topic to mean it does not have to be about guns.

How is this thread any worse or less deserving than any other topic in this sub forum?

Do you also infer that tread wear, cub scouts, beer, Salma Hayek and everything else have no place here?

[Guest jackdm3]

Salma has every right to be here with us as he does! Quick. Somebody post another pic soon before somebody loses it.

[G27]

So couldn't God have created gravity?

I guess it kinda blows some people's minds to find out there are folks like myself who think that both science and God can coexist...

[mikegideon]

So couldn't God have created gravity?

The Bible kinda said he did. One of the biggest problems between religion and science is the big discrepancies in the timelines

[Guest mustangdave]

Hows about GOD created the IDEA of a GUN...and gave it to MAN....then man had to figure out what the shoot with it.

[Handsome Rob]

Feeling argumentative today Daniel? Or maybe just inflammatory?

[Daniel]

I just saw the story and found it to have bearing on the conversations we have had over the last few days. I think that Hawking is a believer btw.

[willis68]

This is the General Off Topic section of TGO. I take General Off Topic to mean it does not have to be about guns.

How is this thread any worse or less deserving than any other topic in this sub forum?

Do you also infer that tread wear, cub scouts, beer, Salma Hayek and everything else have no place here?

Mike to each their own, but when people treat religion like an off the wall Beer topic in the world that I live in there is a major difference Have fun with your childish games