Stephen Hawking held the post of Lucas Ian professor of mathematics at Cambridge University. This was the same position that was held by Sir Isaac Newton, the "father of physics" himself. Hawking, who was honored last week at the World Science Festival in New York, is famous for probing the deepest questions of the cosmos.
When asked about some who perpetuate the controversy of God verses Science, Hawking replied, “One could define God as the embodiment of the laws of nature. However, this is not what most people would think of as God. They made a human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship. When you look at the vast size of the universe and how insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most impossible."
When asked if there was a way to reconcile religion and science, Hawking said, "There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works."
Well with this statement of Steven Hawkins, just as Isaac Newton got in trouble with noted statements dealing with gravity and the religious segment groups of his time that came with the threat of death, I am just waiting for the Extreme Religious Fundamentalist today start the callings of how Hawkins is going to hell, speaking the Devils message, and all other sorts of similar attacks calling for his death.
Great muck-raking, Engineer. The truth always makes the charlatans edgy and makes the fundamentalists turn into barbarians.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how the cultists decry what is observable yet worship what is ethereal? I can never get my mind around that asinine fact!
well, science always wins because it the hard reality that is inevitable, but often, I think the triumph of science will occur eons from now, when giant intelligent cockroaches, who as Kurt Vonnegut predicted will brew the best beer in the universe, have evolved to fill the evolutionary niches left by the once prolific humanoid species that populated the planet earth.
ReplyDeleteperhaps, they will lift their perfectly chilled steins filled with their ambrosical alcoholic hop nectar and wax philosophically about the dolts that destroyed the planet and how they were so intelligent, yet, tragically flawed...
Hello Muddy,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words.
Hello Microdot,
LOVE Kurt Vonnegut!!! When the giant intelligential cockroaches, which are already beyond the Teabaggers now, brew their beer, I hope they will at least give credit and recognize you, Muddy, and myself for at least trying to educate the and expose the counter message from the stupid….i.e. Fox Conservative Programming.
Yes, I think in the long run, man will evolve into extinction.
Mark my words... some time in the future some quote mining fundie revisionist will rearrange Hawkings words and make him into a believer. They do it all the time with Einstein. Of course, Einstein made some rather unfortunate loosie goosie ambiguous comments about religion and god which are easy for religionists to take out of context; his description of god being another name for awe of the natural world, and his statement of not believing in a personal god not with standing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, Engineer and coincidental comment, Hump! I just picked up Mary Jammer's book "Einstein and Religion" today. Should be an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteAmbiguity seems to be the only way theoretical scientists can keep their funding, however, before they find evidence for their theories. We can't get too aggravated with them then, you know? It's safer to say, "Probably" than " Absolutely." Especially when you don't know if there's another pogrom right around the corner. Einstein came from a hot bed of political turmoil to our country.
Angel, let me know how you like it. I've got it on my list.
ReplyDeleteEngineer, I found the link to your blog :)
Hello Angle and Hump,
ReplyDeleteIt is good to have you stop by and I loved your comments. Being a man of science, I too know well the goofy religious wrath that can be turned on you…..but at the end of the day…facts prevail. Bottom Line!!
I often quote Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860)
"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."
AWE....GOD IS.......
ReplyDeleteAt the end of your life, science won't be the one to decide your eternal place of complete happiness with God, or complete sorrow in Hell.
ReplyDeleteBut all of you will probably laugh at that statement until you find out that it is the truth.