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.
As a born-again Christian who believes the Genesis account, I am truly offended by such a glib comment.
Please recognize your offense and apologize.
Amen
You said -- "As a born-again Christian who believes the Genesis account, I am truly offended by such a glib comment."
Well, I read it, too -- and then I thought of the verses I posted above.
Other than, perhaps, ignorance of the Gospel, where is the "offense" (other than the offense to God of rejecting His Son, Jesus Christ [but, then again, that's an offense to God and not to you or me...]).
Regards,
Star Traveler
In my standup set, I make the following comment:
When people find out I am from Iowa, they deduct a hundred points from my IQ. When they find out I play the banjo, it goes negative, as though were Steven Hawking and I ever to meet, we would both cease to exist in some neurological matter/anti-matter collision.
It only works in some circles.
The dumb ones look as though they are saying, "What is that? Math? I didn't come to a comedy show to do math."
The really brainy ones look as though they are calculating whether it would actually work.
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As a born-again Christian who believes the Genesis account, I am truly offended by such a glib comment. Please recognize your offense and apologize.
Not just no....but NO apology from me!
I am offended how the entire world awaits the official nod from Steven Hawking that God does or does not exist.
I find it appalling that christian world has become so ineffective, so diluted, so "salt-less" that a lost world will prefer the utterance of a synical old scientist.
I pray for Mr. Hawking as well, that he stop searching for truth by equation and open his eyes and heart to reality of a living God.
I was offended for Steven Hawking, for being called a shrivelled crip. That is pretty offensive.
Don't get me wrong, Fighting Irish has the right to be offensive, but I have the right to call him/her on it.
You should follow up the joke with your observation. This stupid will laugh at the smart and vice-versa.
He isn't going to moved by one calling him offensive names like shrivelled crip.
Stephen Hawkins is my generation's Albert Einstein.
FI, I truly believe that as scientists explore to understand the origin of the universe, they will see more of God's handiwork and it will be harder to explain all that exists by some chaotic happen-stance.
Ps:19:1: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Thinking IS his life.
You said -- "I was offended for Steven Hawking, for being called a shrivelled crip. That is pretty offensive."
Ahhh.., I see (offended on behalf of him).
That statement didn't seem to be so much aimed at Steven Hawking personally, as much as it was aimed at a "mindset" of our society, in terms of accepting what is said there (as opposed as to say..., "the Bible", for instance). So, I didn't find it very offensive, from my perspective.
If there were nothing else of value inherent in the comment and it was solely directed at Steven Hawking, then it would be pointless and a personal attack. But, not all so-called "personal attacks" are really personal attacks. Take Ann Coulter for example and her book and the controversy on "certain" widows of 9/11. That may be perceived as an uncool, personal attack. However, it makes an appropriate point and is therefore *valid*.
Anyway, that's my view on it.
Regards,
Star Traveler
It is as simple as the lyrics from the song "I Believe":
http://www.spiritofsinatra.com/pages/Lyrics/i/I_Believe_For_Every_Drop.htm
Examine a flower, or a seashell, or any animal and you can't fail to believe that something (The Force) or someone (God) intelligent designed and made these things.
Thanks for trying!
"The Bible says all that there is to know about the smartest man in the world."
No it doesn't. I'd rather hear Stephen Hawking tell me his theories than hear some self righteous speech about who all is going to answer to God. You like being God's mouthpiece don't you? That way you can judge others, and still keep the air that it is not you, but God who is doing the judging.
Don't forget your own cut and paste: "Professing to be wise, they became fools,"
If I want to read scripture, I'll go to the religion sidebar or pick up a bible.
We're not that close, scientifically speaking.
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