New Book "The Grand Design"

Hawking says the Big Bang was the inevitable result of the laws of physics, not something explained by the hand of God or coincidence. “Since there is a law like gravity, the universe can create itself from nothing and it will be,” he said. “This is why we and the universe exist, not voluntary creation.”


“It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.”



Well, that's that. Let's move on to the next big question . . . uhm . . . why did the chicken cross . . . hmm . . . how many licks does it take . . .hoo boy . . .

I'm still trying to read his first book. I fall asleep after the first page.

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

While I am happy with his conclusion that voluntary creation is not necessary, there is something very odd in saying that the universe can create itself 'because of the law of gravity'. Without a universe, there is no law of gravity.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yep. You reach a point where you end up going round and round in metaphysical circles.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

People require a deity though. They are too weak to stand up for themselves and say "I don't know" so inserting a deity is the easiest thing.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

It's sad that in the 21st century someone still has point out that magic wasn't required to create the universe.

I'm afraid that will always be the case.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Can't Be Sadder Than This Place

When you deal with human beings, what more do you expect? Look at the history and see.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Still blows my weak mind.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

He also recently said that other creatures live in space, that they are bigger and badder than us and we should not explore space and announce our presence.
In other words, keep to ourselves and cower on earth in peace and harmony! World without end, Amen.

He can prove this too, right?

The probability that other creature live in space is the same as the probability that we exist here on earth.

Their gods are probably more powerful than ours.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

He may have been overly influenced by Star Trek: The Movie

I have been interested in quantum mechanics and theoretical astrophysics since high school. It is very cool stuff and a lot of it mathematically viable. The M theory takes an interesting perspective as an extension of string theories and kinda-sorta tries to explain how a singularity (and therefore our universe) could have occured in the first place (a point in space/time in the 11th dimension of two branes colliding). Of course there is the ever-present question of "why is it here" even in the 11th dimension. Those too ignorant or lazy to TRY and delve into it often turn to religion as the answer. It is the knee-jerk defense for many, sadly. You can probably all tell my thoughts on religion

A Brief History of Time remains one of my favorite books of all time (ha?) but newer theories and thinking have superceded a lot of Hawking's thoughts in that book, as evidenced by the OP's link.

Edit: More fun reading: http://superstringtheory.com/index.html

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I thought that was proved at the end of MIB II, that dramatized how our universe exists in a coin locker at some alien transit station...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car