Stephen Hawking writes that the Universe came from nothing
HARDCOVER EDITION:
Stephen Hawking has a new book on the way, and it's about to add weight to arguments that atheists have been making for many years. During my interactions with Ray Comfort he once posited that I as an atheist believed that everything came from nothing. I had never made that claim. Most arguments for a Universe without a God are based on the notion that our Universe is infinite that it's all existed forever in some form. If Christians posit that their God has existed forever, this concept should be easy for them to understand however they're rarely willing to accept it. It's not easy for them to accept because they are so entrenched in belief that most of the time they'll merely respond with some form of dishonest or illogical argumentation. Enter Stephen Hawkings new book.
In his new book, The Grand Design Hawking argues that "the universe can and will create itself from nothing." The collective heads of all the dishonest Christians who have argued that atheists claim that everything comes from nothing have just imploded.
"Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing," the excerpt says. "Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe exists, why we exist. It is not necessary to invoke God to ... set the Universe going."
How can we understand the world in which we find ourselves? Over twenty years ago I wrote A Brief History of Time, to try to explain where the universe came from, and where it is going. But that book left some important questions unanswered. Why is there a universe--why is there something rather than nothing? Why do we exist? Why are the laws of nature what they are? Did the universe need a designer and creator?
It was Einstein’s dream to discover the grand design of the universe, a single theory that explains everything. However, physicists in Einstein’s day hadn’t made enough progress in understanding the forces of nature for that to be a realistic goal. And by the time I had begun writing A Brief History of Time, there were still several key advances that had not yet been made that would prevent us from fulfilling Einstein’s dream. But in recent years the development of M-theory, the top-down approach to cosmology, and new observations such as those made by satellites like NASA’s COBE and WMAP, have brought us closer than ever to that single theory, and to being able to answer those deepest of questions. And so Leonard Mlodinow and I set out to write a sequel to A Brief History of Time to attempt to answer the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. The result is The Grand Design, the product of our four-year effort.
In The Grand Design we explain why, according to quantum theory, the cosmos does not have just a single existence, or history, but rather that every possible history of the universe exists simultaneously. We question the conventional concept of reality, posing instead a "model-dependent" theory of reality. We discuss how the laws of our particular universe are extraordinarily finely tuned so as to allow for our existence, and show why quantum theory predicts the multiverse--the idea that ours is just one of many universes that appeared spontaneously out of nothing, each with different laws of nature. And we assess M-Theory, an explanation of the laws governing the multiverse, and the only viable candidate for a complete "theory of everything." As we promise in our opening chapter, unlike the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life given in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the answer we provide in The Grand Design is not, simply, "42."
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HARDCOVER EDITION:
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Could you make a referral link to the Kindle edition?
Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.
I'm buying that book and I'm going to find a statue of the flying spaghetti monster and put both on my coffee table!
If all the Christians who have called other Christians " not really a Christian " were to vanish, there'd be no Christians left.
YUP!
The Grand Design for Kindle
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What about IBook? Do they have a link for that. I don't have kindle I have I phones.
I can't find it on Amazon. If it's on Amazon I can make it happen.
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http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/2977814861.html
"..according to professor Hawking............However, according to Ray Comfort..."
LOL !!!
Cool let me know I'm not that good with computers. I'm just one of the turn the damn thing on and go to web sites.lol
Throughout human history as our species has faced the frighten terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are and where we are going; it has been the authority (the political, the religious, and the educational authorities) who have attempted to comfort us. By giving us order, rules, and regulation. Informing or forming in our minds their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question these authorities. THINK FOR YOURSELF…
Yep - Ray's certainly my science go to guy... So frickin NOT.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Ray cracks me up. I love this:
I find it more embarrassing to be someone who misconstrues and misunderstands science at every turn, which is what Ray does. Now he has the audacity to criticize one of the most intelligent scientists alive today. Maybe Ray should consider reading the book and then researching it further before giving his opinion.
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If you have an iphone/ipad then you can just download the free kindle app and purchase the kindle version and read on your phone. Same price as Kindle, same system, you just need the free kindle app.
Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.
Thank you I will give it a try.
This is just me trying to embed a video from the Science Channel,I hope that this works no! this is not working,I'll type out the web page.Looking through the worm-hole with Morgan Freeman,the name of the video is-"Is there a creator ?" science.discovery.com/videos/through-the-wormhole-creator/ OK,now i'll see if this works,it's about multi-verces and inflation theory.Yes it worked
Signature ? How ?
I have no doubt that the fundies will put forth intelligent design theories of the universe. That they will mandate 2 separate theories of gravity in high school texts with one requiring a designer. Or they may deny gravity altogether and hopefully step out of a flying Boeing 747. Yes, gravity like evolution will be regarded as a secular social construct that should be removed to make way for the true physics as foretold in the Bible and the Koran.
Can't wait to read Hawking's book.
Oh yeh!
I was about to post the same link to Ray's "commentary". I think he chocked on the book even before he read it. Does what Ray said imply he is a materialist now (besides being an idiot)?
"Hawking has violated the unspoken rules of atheism. He isn't supposed to use words like 'create' or even 'made.' They necessitate a Creator and a Maker. Neither are you supposed to let out that the essence of atheism is to believe that nothing created everything, because it's unthinking."
This sounds like : it is my god, you can't say his name ....
Ray is really something special. Day in and day out he accuses atheists of believing that something came from nothing. Finally when one says something came from nothing he acts as if this person is the first person to violate a sacred rule that all atheists adhere to. Well if this is an unspoken rule of atheism then why the hell does he always accuse atheists of believing something came from nothing. Ray Comfort is a lying conman scumbag dishonest terrorist shithead.
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Yahoo posted a story on this, and there's well over 33k comments now... http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100902/lf_nm_life/us_britain_hawking#mwpphu-container
Just see what the average idiot has brought us...
From our side...
There's too many comments to read, if you happen upon more gems.. paste 'em up.
Also have this.
If theists were really concerned about their image they would make posting on the Internet require a license. I'm always amazed at the ridiculous garbage people post. I would say it is all a bunch of atheists joking around but I know people like that out in the real world.
Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.
All right, who left their rulebook laying around where Ray could find it? Don't let it happen again. It's that kind of sloppiness that destroyed the Illuminati.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
Ray isn't concerned with facts, he is concerned like all deity believers, in spreading their meme, plus he likes the money and attention selling his tripe and people love to swallow it.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Wow.
"Writing in the Times, Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said: "Science is about explanation. Religion is about interpretation ... The Bible simply isn't interested in how the Universe came into being." from here: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/09/03/hawking.god.universe.criticisms/index.html?hpt=C1
Should we tear "Genesis" out of the Bible now?
I posted a comment on there and these christians are having a hissy fit about what I said. One of them said "no wonder god made him a cripple" and yeah it lit a fire under my ass. So I told him he was a horrible person for saying that and so on. I didn't say anything ugly I just called him out on his bad attitude,whatever. So far I've had two come back and tell me I'm calling people hypocrites and saying nasty things about christians. I'm surprised they haven't gotten upset because I don't capitalize christians but I don't feel the need.
Anyway I told them if they wanted to debate with me about this they could do it here. We need more dumb asses! Maybe it will also bring some more Atheists to this site to take em all down.
If all the Christians who have called other Christians " not really a Christian " were to vanish, there'd be no Christians left.
nuqneH loDnI'
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Well from another forum im on (non atheism/religion focused) the same two objections are poping up every second post, first no one has been to the begining of the universe so how can we be sure? just silly imo, you don't need to see something to be able to get evidence for or against. And even more annoying... well then someone still had to put the law of gravity in place and naturally they attribute this to god. So god still created the universe
I supose there is a lot of taking the bibles word over everything else but thats to be expected.
Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill any other animal.
All animals are equal.
I'm interested to see how Hawkings postulates this... Haven't read it though, so I dunno.
“Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.”
What can you say? Hawking and Einstein are right and the Christians are wrong.
If you guys haven't read one of Einstein's last letters he called Christianity and all religion "childish and a product of human weakness". Talk about MASSIVE OWNAGE!!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24598856/
Click here to find out why Christianity is the biggest fairy tale ever created!! www.nobeliefs.com/exist.htm www.JesusNEVERexisted.com
I do not understand why so many theists WANT Einstein to be a theist too.
They almost ALWAYS take his "science without religion is ..." quote out of context to claim he was a theist.
Do you have an idea why they do so?
It makes no sense to me. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) has had an exhibit up all summer about Einstein. With some of his original hand written documents displayed. He had to flee Germany - because he was Jewish. An ethnic Jew, not a practicing Jew. He identified very strongly with the Jewish community. And he said christianity never had any personal appeal.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
Christians are certainly not pretending they think Einstein believed in Jesus that would be a nonsense. But I see they would be much happier with Einstein being a theists of any sort (even him being a Muslim would satisfy them I believe) then an atheist.
My "conspiracy theory" tells me they don't want atheists to have an easy answer for their rhetoric dumb question "what good came from atheism". It's just my irrational feeling. But maybe someone has a better idea. ? It is not just about "St.Albert", but it is a more general trend of Christians trying to claim all people with some degree of positive image.
Christians want validation of their mythology from one of the smartest men who EVER lived but Einstein was obviously too smart to do so but instead called Christianity "a product of human WEAKNESS and CHILDISH"
Christians are TOTALLY owned!!
Click here to find out why Christianity is the biggest fairy tale ever created!! www.nobeliefs.com/exist.htm www.JesusNEVERexisted.com
Mistakes were made, but not by me a book written by two psychologists, it discusses self justification in relationships, law enforcement, science, politics and religion. Every one needs to feel their opinions and beliefs are valid. And many will twist the truth as hard as they can to make it so. Almost always, they are unaware they are doing so. It is very difficult to resist. Most of us here try to watch ourselves and we are often called out by the other members of the forum if we step over the line. Many people don't realize what they are doing and wouldn't recognize it in themselves even if someone pointed it out to them. Sound familiar?
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
If pantheism is a form of theism, then Einstein was a theist.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare
Finally someone with the courage to say the truth no matter what that truth is! I'm beginging to like Butterbattle in spite of our tumultuous start
BTW if pantheism is not theism please remove my badge. I believe in a God but I don't know if He is personal or not.
Then you'll love this truth. Dawkins has said (and my experience bears this out) that pantheism is "sexed up atheism"
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Right, that is like saying a kaleidoscope isn't interested in exploring stars, but merely showing you something pretty.
I find lots of fiction to be full of morals, but they are hardly useful in measuring the universe. Science has what theism will never have. PRAGMATISM.
These people merely don't want to give up on their myth, that is all this is saying.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
I'll take a telescope over a holy book any day. The only reason I read holy books is to know what myth lovers try to defend.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Dawkins is the Glen Beck of atheism... he is not impartial. But I insist! If the moderators stand on Dawkins quote change me to "sexed up atheist"
I really do believe in a God but I can't define it (morphologically). I've said so previously.
Dawkins is nowhere near equal to Beck, not even as a counterpart. He studied science and defends what he knows through evidence. Beck on the other hand sells a utopia without a lick of evidence for what he claims. Beck sells because of emotional appeal and appeals to the intellectually lazy. Dawkins only passion is to defend science and reason over ancient myth and superstition. There is nothing extreme about science, there are only people who fear it because they fear they might be wrong.
Of course Dawkins is partial, as am I, as are you. But what Dawkins has that Beck doesn't is evidence.
Equating Dawkins to Beck would be like equating Galileo to the opposite extreme to the Church that put him under house arrest because he said the earth rotated around the sun.
We are all entitled to our own opinions, not our own facts.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
I don't ask people to be impartial about their opinions. See, that's called "impossible".
Opinions are like assholes - everyone has them and most people like having theirs around.
I'm happy you believe in something you can't tell anyone about. It keeps you from proselytizing.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
proselytizing was never my intention. The only person I wish to proselytize is myself. I wished Dawkins would do the same... but that is asking too much... science should also fear of being wrong...
The only proselytizing I aprove is the Daily Show or South Park... that shit is brilliant! (I've just watched yesterday's show)
Any proof of God (for or against) is circumstancial, there is no hard evidence for neither camp. But Dawkins goes further than that stereotyping religion and making it an escape goat for every problem of mankind.
That's more like Hitchens but I see what you're saying.
As for science, it is constantly being reviewed and examined for wrong/old information. Nothing is handed down from on high.
As for scapegoating, religion invented the process. I think it needs to be used against them when there is cause to do so.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Dawkins is okay. Has anyone seen the TheAmazingAtheist on Youtube? Now that's the Glenn Beck of atheism.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare
Guys why do you search for clues to prove moon was not split? ..... Why not find out "Was it really split ... wow .." If God says in His scripture and the narrations of many witnesses say that they did see the moon in two halves .... and if a ridge looking like a split exists on the moon ... why don't we do a bit of positive search .... Our ancestors probably laughed at someone who said " It is the earth that moves around the sun and not the sun moving around the earth..... " Do you want our progenies too laugh at us guys .... I am sure our grandfather scientists laughed when a Muslim recited from the Quran, Ch 36: 37-40
And the night is another Sign for them. We strip the day from it and they become plunged in darkness. The sun is running its course to its appointed place. That is the ordaining of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. We have appointed stages for the moon till it returns in the shape of a dry old branch of palm-tree (urjoonul qadeem). Neither does it lie in the sun's power to overtake the moon nor can the night outstrip the day. All (celestial bodies) glide along (on its own power), each in its own orbit (rotating on its own axis) The word used is .. fee falqinn yasbahoon which means both moving in a prescribed path while rotates on its own axis .... So we laughed for this those days when science was lame .... and today we are still lame to know about whether moon was split or not. So why do you jump to negaticve conclusion when you don't have a clue ... So is the creation of the Universe .... Quran tells us how God did it .... Please hold your tongue until our gret scientists can crawl around and have capabilities to make judgments .... Our scientists don't have the knowledge doesn't mean Quran is wrong ... Try disproving the Quran on established sceince ... that sounds fair .... do it now ...... Eg., It says sun,the moon, earth and all celestials rotate on their axes .... Prove it wrong and take the cup. Or it says Sun is Siraj (Source of light) and the moon is munir (borrowed light) prove it wrong ...... while Bible said sun is greater light and moon is minor light ....NykesI just love this one:
«Einstein was then asked if he accepted the "historical existence of Jesus," to which he replied, "Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life."»
I didn't know he said such a thing. Just read it.
Actually, I can accept that. The existence of the Son of God is another matter entirely.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
The universe came from nothing. Life started in a mud puddle. Apes, rats and cockroaches are your cousins. There is no paradise awaiting when you die.
You must admit we have a huge PR problem.
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen
Truth always has a PR problem.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
I agree completely
Looks like Hawins aligns with the Christian worldview.