Posted on 06/15/2006 6:41:00 AM PDT by edpc
Acclaimed British physicist Stephen Hawking has said that humanity is finally getting close to understanding the origin of the universe.
Speaking at a lecture in Hong Kong, Hawking said that despite some theoretical advances in the past years, there are still mysteries as to how the universe began.
"Despite having had some great successes, not everything is solved. We do not yet have good theoretical understanding of the observation of the expansion of the universe," he told an audience of 2,500 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Thursday.
"Without such understanding, we cannot be sure of the future of the universe.
"New observational results and theoretical advances are coming in rapidly; cosmology is a very exciting subject. We are getting close to answering these old questions: why are we here, where did we come from?"
The 64-year-old also said his unfulfilled ambitions, among many, were to find out what happens inside black holes, how the universe began and how the human race can survive in the next 100 years.
Above all, he joked, he wants to understand women.
On Tuesday Hawking said the human race should reach for the stars to survive as the Earth is at risk of being wiped out by a disaster.
He believes humans should settle in space, predicting a lunar settlement within 20 years and a Martian colony in 40.
Hawking, a Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, speaks with a voice synthesiser and has been in a wheelchair since developing motor neurone disease.
During his Hong Kong visit he also revealed he is writing a children's book with his daughter about theoretical physics.
Hawking is the author of international best seller "A Brief History of Time", which attempted to explain a range of subjects in cosmology, including the Big Bang, black holes, light cones and superstring theory.
He is on a six-day visit to Hong Kong and will meet Chief Executive Donald Tsang Friday before heading to Beijing Saturday where he will give a lecture on string theory.
Does this mean they are "Nearer My God To Thee"?
In a nutshell, yes. You are fortunate enough to be living in a fantastic time when you'll see a convergence of science and spirituality. One does not necessarily negate the other one as some would like you to believe.
Read up on quantum physics and see where it is headed.
Perhaps he's delving into Chaos Theory?
Hawkins has been obsessed with the black hole phenomenon ever since he first gained his reputation many years ago. Perhaps, on some instinctive level, he thinks that an understanding of their true nature will unlock a wide range of universal mysteries.
However, I don't think he's done any groundbreaking work since he first burst onto the scene many years ago. This seems to be typical of many great mathematical thinkers from Newton to Einstein. They made all their great discoveries as young men and then seemed to burn out. Perhaps there is something genetic which happens as you age which makes it less likely that you can think outside the box when it comes to genius inspired leaps of logic.
He should stop thinking so much and get a life.
He'll be introducing the Twelve Girls Band.
LOL.....one of the funniest infomercials ever. That annoying music and accented announcer's voice rang in my head for hours after that. Thanks for the bad memory...
While that is often true, Newton is an exception. His most important contributions (mechanics and universal gravitation) didn't come about until he was around 40.
You said -- "Regardless of anyones beliefs, Hawkins remains just about the smartest man on the planet."
And this is why the Bible says the following --
Romans 1:20-25
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:18-21
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
1 Corinthians 1:27-31
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
The Bible says all that there is to know about the smartest man in the world.
Regards,
Star Traveler
"Regardless of anyones beliefs, Hawkins remains just about the smartest man on the planet."
Next to Al Gore of course.
Ok but smart and wise are two different things.
Apparently Hawking is planning to give up cosmology - there ain't room enough in one brain for the two studies.
As you stated, "Now THERE'S a challenging project."
You said -- "An important point that is given little attention."
It's a point that is given a lot of attention in the Bible. And also, it gives the ending of the story, about Jesus Christ returning to this earth
Jesus Himself says that He returns to prevent the total annihilation of the planet...
Matthew 24:3-22
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
15 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand),
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.
18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.
19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
And yes, the answer is in the stars -- the Morning Star of Heaven -- Jesus Christ -- who will return and stop the annihilation of the planet.
Regards,
Star Traveler
Absolutely right!
Hawking is very very smart, but he is not wise.
The answer to it all is 42
"In a nutshell, yes. You are fortunate enough to be living in a fantastic time when you'll see a convergence of science and spirituality. One does not necessarily negate the other one as some would like you to believe.
Read up on quantum physics and see where it is headed."
Quite so. In Classical times, there was no distinction between science and philosophy. Then during the so-called "enlightenment" they somehow got separated. Now they seem to be coming together again!
Exciting stuff!
You said -- "I predict that when we find the key to the "last" door between us and understanding the universe, when we open it we will find........
another door."
That final and most important door -- we will find (and already know, from the Bible) -- is -- Jesus Christ. He describes Himself as that door --
John 10:7-9
7 Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door.
The relevent context for the above is --
John 10:1-18
1 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
And He is the door to the entire known and unknown universe -- and -- He *upholds* it and keeps it *together* by His own power (being that He is of the tri-une God, the Creator of the universe).
If He did not sustain the universe (as it is now) it would fly apart and melt into intense heat (as it will one day, as the Bible tells us). Jesus Christ is the One who sustains the present universe as we know and observe it.
Regards,
Star Traveler
"I admire this great mind. I also wonder how his "progressive" disease was arrested. It seems like he has not gotten worse for 20 years or so. I don't believe he is a religious person, but perhaps others, besides myself, are praying for him."
Hawkings is an atheist, in spite of the fact that his theories require some degree of faith in themselves!
Depressingly enough, his condition has not arrested. He has deteriorated very noticeably in the past few years, to the point where just about all his body functions require help from others. OTOH, it is true he has confounded his doctors, who thought he would be dead a long time by now.
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