Slashdot Mirror


Hawking Picks Physics Over God For Big Bang

Hugh Pickens writes "The Guardian reports that in his new book, The Grand Design, Professor Stephen Hawking argues that the Big Bang, rather than occurring following the intervention of a divine being, was inevitable due to the law of gravity. 'Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist,' Hawking writes. 'It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.' Hawking had previously appeared to accept the role of God in the creation of the universe. Writing in his bestseller A Brief History Of Time in 1988, Hawking wrote: 'If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason – for then we should know the mind of God.'"

23 of 1,328 comments (clear)

  1. Annnd... brain goes splat. by brennanw · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is why I never did well in the higher math classes in college.

    So... I thought gravity required there be something with mass in order to create gravity. Doesn't that mean in order for there to be a law of gravity you need stuff with mass attracting each other? Which requires something, not nothing, so --

    Damn. There it goes again, brain matter all over the wall. Excuse me while I get a spatula.

    --
    Eviscerati.Org: All Hail the Eviscerati
    1. Re:Annnd... brain goes splat. by brennanw · · Score: 3, Funny

      The movie will star Samuel L. Jackson as gravity who will quote a passage from the Old Testament before he makes my brain go splat.

      --
      Eviscerati.Org: All Hail the Eviscerati
    2. Re:Annnd... brain goes splat. by corbettw · · Score: 4, Funny

      Time and space are pretty much the same thing to a theoretical physicist, remember.

      I finally figured that part out about 40 feet ago.

      --
      God invented whiskey so the Irish would not rule the world.
  2. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by scharkalvin · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's turtles all the way down!

  3. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's ninjas all the way down!

  4. God = gravity, Gravity = God by Wormfoud · · Score: 5, Funny

    Following your argument that God aka Gravity has always existed...

    1. Re:God = gravity, Gravity = God by mr_mischief · · Score: 4, Funny

      and binds us and flows through us, binds the whole galaxy together

  5. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yeah, but getting the shell off is hard. Sometimes I just want a simple meal.

  6. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's ninja turtles all the way down!

  7. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by Josh04 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Queue torrent of bullshit about wars and history. Atheists are just theists with a post-modern stick up their arse.

  8. Re: If they are wrong by TaoPhoenix · · Score: 5, Funny

    Pascal sent a letter. He wants his Wager back.

    --
    My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine
  9. He may be breaking the law by G3ckoG33k · · Score: 4, Funny

    He may be breaking the laws of physics, in Louisiana

  10. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by ThreeE · · Score: 1, Funny

    Calling atheism a faith is like calling bald a hair color.

  11. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by Mongoose+Disciple · · Score: 2, Funny

    No doubt. I don't think Zeus will think much of their blasphemy.

  12. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by mrops · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is a interesting question I have thought of quite often and I believe I have a reasonable answer.

    "Time" is a by product of creation of our universe.

    Keeping this in mind, there is no "need" for anyone creating god. Without universe there is no time (or at the very least time as we perceive), yet there is god (for those who believe in god, and I do). Question of creation only arises when asked in reference to "time".

  13. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by jolyonr · · Score: 5, Funny

    Indeed, I live my life by the motto "What would Zeus Do?"

    Pretty much anything he wants, it turns out.

    --


    Please read my Canon EOS tech blog at http://www.everyothershot.com
  14. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by Josh04 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I have limited bandwidth and thus have to queue my torrents, you insensitive clod!

  15. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by imamac · · Score: 2, Funny

    You may be unlikely to pick this one up too, but "Mere Christianity" is a very good book for the intellectual.

  16. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by Mongoose+Disciple · · Score: 2, Funny

    With that logic you'd have to believe in absolutely everything. Ghosts, Vampires, Aliens, FSM, Unicorns, goblins, drangons, orcs, elves (short and tall), Fraggles, Transformers, ninja turtles, Voltron, Zerg, absolutely anything that anyone could dream of.

    For some reason this makes me imagine a person in deadly peril shouting, "Save me, hydralisk!"

  17. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by rubycodez · · Score: 2, Funny

    depends on whether it's Friday night or not

  18. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Who created the creator?"

    Himself. He's a recursive God. He created time, traveled back in time, and then created himself. So there! No need for stinkin' turtles.
       

  19. Re:But what created the law of gravity? by camperdave · · Score: 2, Funny

    Gravity never says "let there be light". Gravity says "let there be heavy".

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  20. Re:well duh. by colinrichardday · · Score: 4, Funny

    But Spartacus died on the cross for me! Does that mean I should foment slave revolts?