Renowned Cosmologist Draws Sold-Out Crowd (Stephen Hawking)

The Daily Californian ^ | March 14, 2007 | Andrea Lu

[dayglored]

Last night, nearly 3,000 people received a mini lesson on the origin of the universe from perhaps the world’s most famous cosmologist, Stephen Hawking.

Hawking spoke to a packed audience in Zellerbach Hall about how Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity and quantum theory explained the creation of the universe.

...

His lecture, which touched upon subjects such as black holes and spacetime, was peppered with quips that drew laughs from the audience.

“If one believed that the universe had a beginning, the obvious question was, what happened before the beginning,” Hawking said. “What was God doing before He made the world?"

...

[andysandmikesmom]

Are you saying that the earth is at the center of the universe, and everything revolves around it?....am I correct in understanding that this is what you mean in your post #44..I just want to be clear on this point...

[editor-surveyor]

What I am saying is that Humphreys model says that, and I am inclined to agree with his conclusion, since it is logical. God did create the universe for us, so why would he place earth anywhere else?

It is particularly telling that with earth at the center, all we view in the universe is in agreement with the six day creation. A universe that had been expanded equally in all directions from earth would have light visible from stars that are a billion light years away, by general relativity. Our 'clock' could read 6000 years, while a 'clock' on one of those distant stars would read x billion years.

It must be noted that this requires that we have a bounded, finite universe, rather than the edgeless finite universe that is arbitrarily assumed with the copernican model.

[Old Professer]

"A few “bubbles,” Hawking said, will grow to a certain size until they are safe from collapse, and will begin to develop galaxies, stars and eventually human life."

I wonder if the rest of the bubbles are just like us?

[andysandmikesmom]

Thanks for the response...

You said,

"God did create the universe for us, so why would he place earth anywhere else?"...I must say, I disagree completely with this, or maybe it would be better to say, your opinion and my opinion differ on this...do you get this notion from the Bible?....and if so, exactly where is this Scripture in the Bible?...I am curious...

I am also curious to know, just how many Freepers actually believe the same as you do...I never met anyone before, who actually believed as you, that the earth is the center of the universe, so your belief is just odd to me...

[ASA Vet]

You do realize you are wasting your time?
Or are you trying for more fodder for the humour mill?

[RunningWolf]

That is based on among other things the assumption that the big-bang, general relativity concepts et all are an accurate and complete representation, and that it is finite.

For a universe where the existence was/is brought into being by his spoken word, all points could like the center. Because how would the center of infinity be measured?

[editor-surveyor]

"...do you get this notion from the Bible?"

Definately. A clear read of Genesis makes it obvious that all of creation has a purpose that is earth-centered, so why would earth's location be anywhere other than the center? And why would God create a random, edgeless universe when a bounded universe makes so much more sense, with regard to all that is ever stated about it in his word? He stated that the moon and stars were created for the purpose of telling times and seasons.

[andysandmikesmom]

Just trying to get information....I find these ideas odd...

[andysandmikesmom]

I guess then, we disagree upon a clear reading of Genesis...you and I have disagreed on other things, based on your particuar interpretation of Biblical Scriptures, so just add this one to the list..

[editor-surveyor]

Care to explain how you see it?

[gondramB]

>>FC:I'm trained as a mechanical engineer, into thermodynamics. If you know your thermo, you have to understand that the laws do not in anyway preclude the existence of God, as many claim.


Me:"I almost never hear scientists claim that. I hear a lot of them saying they don't believe in God but not that he could not exist."

---

FC:So, what you are claiming is that all scientists are at least agnostics and none are atheists. That is clearly not the case, in fact it is an impossibility. You cannot have agnostic atheists, they are either one or the other, so your statement makes no sense.<<

That was a seriously non-sequitur response.
I related what I have heard scientists say.

You claimed I had said something about all scientists and then made an illogical response based on something I didn't say. You might want to take another look.

[andysandmikesmom]

I dont see Genesis as giving any credence to your belief that the earth is the center of the universe...you believe differently...we just believe differently on many issues...thats all that needs to be said...

You chose to believe, that according to the way you read Genesis, it is logical to believe that the earth is the center of the universe...I would say, that your views are in the minority everywhere, here on FR, in the real world, and anywhere else...not that it matters of course, your personal beliefs are your own...I just dont subscribe to your beliefs about the earth being the center of the universe, and dont see Genesis supporting your belief...

[gondramB]

>>I dont see Genesis as giving any credence to your belief that the earth is the center of the universe...you believe differently...we just believe differently on many issues...thats all that needs to be said... <<

Yep, that was a Greek (and apparently independently) Chinese idea. Aristarchus had proposed a sun centric model but in Greece, Aristotle's idea of a earth centric model replaced it.

Modern Geocentrists cite various old testament passages about the sun rising (or stopping) in the sky. From that they extrapolate that the earth is the center of universe. That never has seemed to me like a literal reading of the bible so I don't understand why Fundamentalists take that position.

[editor-surveyor]

I know for sure that my views are in the huge majority among serious Bible scholars.

I find it sad that you are unable to support your view that earth would be anywhere other than the center. A verse? A chapter? Even just a sentence that you found somewhere?

[cdbull23]

I actually went to that lecture. Funny AND interesting...and this coming from a guy who doesn't know much about science-type stuff.

[cdbull23]

“What was God doing before He made the world? Was He preparing hell for people who asked such questions?”

I believe that quote can actually be attributed to St. Augustine. Stephen Hawking simply used it to add some humor to his presentation. He did in fact cite St. Augustine on his visuals.

[EveningStar]

Place earth at the center, as God most certainly would have.

Did God make the earth flat too?

[gondramB]

>>I find it sad that you are unable to support your view that earth would be anywhere other than the center. A verse? A chapter? Even just a sentence that you found somewhere?<<

I think that is because the Bible silent on that point as nearly as I can tell. Basically the early church followed the Greeks, not scripture, on that point.

You can make a case for the Earth as center of the solar system like Ecclesiastes 1:5, Joshua 10:12 and 10:13 but not the universe.

[EveningStar]

I find it sad that you are unable to support your view that earth would be anywhere other than the center.

So all this stuff we've heard over the years about the earth orbiting the sun is horse puckey?

[andysandmikesmom]

Thats so funny coming from you...you have not shown one verse, where we can all agree that the Bible states that the earth is the center of the universe...that is the truly sad part...I am sure that there are 'some' Bible scholars who might agree with your ideas...but the majority?...well, I have had my laugh for the day...thanks for that...