Warren2ThaG Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 A belief that heaven or an afterlife awaits us is a "fairy story" for people afraid of death, Stephen Hawking has said. In a dismissal that underlines his firm rejection of religious comforts, Britain's most eminent scientist said there was nothing beyond the moment when the brain flickers for the final time. Hawking, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 21, shares his thoughts on death, human purpose and our chance existence in an exclusive interview with the Guardian today. The incurable illness was expected to kill Hawking within a few years of its symptoms arising, an outlook that turned the young scientist to Wagner, but ultimately led him to enjoy life more, he has said, despite the cloud hanging over his future. "I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first," he said. "I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark," he added. Hawking's latest comments go beyond those laid out in his 2010 book, The Grand Design, in which he asserted that there is no need for a creator to explain the existence of the universe. The book provoked a backlash from some religious leaders, including the chief rabbi, Lord Sacks, who accused Hawking of committing an "elementary fallacy" of logic.---http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/stephen-hawking-interview-there-is-no-heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reno Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 who cares what hawkings has to say about the afterlife, you may say you cant prove that theres a heaven, but at the same time you cant prove that there is not. he is a brilliant man yes, but he does not know any more about death than we do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trutrojan8 Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 who cares what hawkings has to say about the afterlife, you may say you cant prove that theres a heaven, but at the same time you cant prove that there is not. he is a brilliant man yes, but he does not know any more about death than we do.You also can't prove there isn't an invisible flying donkey who follows you all the time, either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenneral Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 You also can't prove there isn't an invisible flying donkey who follows you all the time, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post reno Posted May 20, 2011 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 You also can't prove there isn't an invisible flying donkey who follows you all the time, either.Yeah, you're right, but I can prove you still collect baseball cards. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted May 20, 2011 Owner Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 You also can't prove there isn't an invisible flying donkey who follows you all the time, either.That would shock the hell out of me. Or, seeing a donkey fall out of the air, created from collisions of particles, right before my eyes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish7718 Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Yeah, you're right, but I can prove you still collect baseball cards.*Owned moment of the year nominee* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2363/2123719132_ba88082822_o.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lkr Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trutrojan8 Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2363/2123719132_ba88082822_o.jpgThe one on the left is like a tranny, and I won't disagree with the baseball cards thing lulz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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