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Stephen Hawking's Voice Beamed Into Space as His Ashes Are Interred (cnet.com)
The ashes of renowned physicist Stephen Hawking were interred at Westminster Abbey in London on Friday in a memorial ceremony attended by a mixture of celebrities and members of the public. From a report: Astronaut Tim Peake and British actor Benedict Cumberbatch and both gave readings, and Astronomer Royal Martin Rees paid tribute to the Hawking's work. Following the service, Hawking's words, set to an original score by composer Vangelis, will be beamed into space by the European Space Agency.
Hawking died in March aged 76 after a lifetime of studying the science of space and time. His final resting place is situated between the remains of two other great scientists: Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton. It is a rare honor to be interred at the Abbey, and one that has not been afforded to a scientist for almost 80 years. Before Hawking, the last scientists laid to rest at Westminster were atomic physicists Ernest Rutherford in 1937 and Joseph John Thomson in 1940.
Hawking died in March aged 76 after a lifetime of studying the science of space and time. His final resting place is situated between the remains of two other great scientists: Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton. It is a rare honor to be interred at the Abbey, and one that has not been afforded to a scientist for almost 80 years. Before Hawking, the last scientists laid to rest at Westminster were atomic physicists Ernest Rutherford in 1937 and Joseph John Thomson in 1940.
Thank you for showing the evils of religion. Because this man, or any person, didn't believe in a magical guy in the sky, even though he did nothing wrong his entire life and in fact suffered most of his life because the magical guy in the sky "has a plan", he'll be in torment for eternity.
If that's the "loving" god you worship, I'll pass.
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
His popularity came from his disability; not his actual scientific accomplishment (while still good; is arguably not that great). For example, the former Lucasian Professor Paul Dirac is a much more accomplished physicist than Hawking.
If that's the "loving" god you worship, I'll pass.
Amen. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.) I couldn't agree more. I mean, I guess if you need a book, weekly meetings, and daily meditation to help you navigate shit that's going on in your life, have at it. But if I have to listen to one more politician beg for our "hopes and prayers" for the victims of this weeks mass shooting or natural disaster I'm going to puke. I mean, I can't help but snicker at the irony of asking an invisible man to help those he just smote.
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I'm on board with your post, but some comments.
I admire Stephen Hawking greatly, for his contributions to science and his example of facing adversity and making the best of his situation. His legacy will be long-lasting. And he certainly didn't deserve to suffer in his life the way he did.
That said, I think you overdo it when you say he "did nothing wrong his entire life." He was an imperfect human being, like all of us.
And while there are those who pervert religion to evil purposes, I wouldn't say it consists of nothing but "evils." It has tried, and often succeeded, to illustrate the nature of humanity and compassion. Faith should never be the enemy of reason. But reason needs evidence, and sometimes you just don't have it.
Stephen Hawking was an atheist. He often spoke of God, but as a metaphor for concepts others identify with. A quote:
God is the name people give to the reason we are here. But I think that reason is the laws of physics rather than someone with whom one can have a personal relationship. An impersonal God.
He also famously countered Einstein's complaint of quantum mechanics ("God does not play dice!") with his own comments:
[E]ven God is bound by the Uncertainty Principle, and can not know both the position, and the speed, of a particle. So God does play dice with the universe. All the evidence points to him being an inveterate gambler, who throws the dice on every possible occasion.
[...]
Not only does God definitely play dice, but He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen.
RIP Professor Hawking. Whether or not there is a God, IMHO you have earned a place in the Pantheon of great minds in history.
If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
Ah yes, the infamous "God created man and gave him free will, but whines and bitches when man uses that free will."
It seems if your god, or any god, was truly omnipotent, it would have created perfect beings from the beginning. Instead, we get stories of how it's a woman's fault we're screwed up because she exercised her free will.
That this being, who screwed up from the beginning, then impregnated another man's wife so she would have his child who would then be sent to his death by God's own chosen people, is even proof of the ridiculousness of religion.
If one can live a good life not going around robbing, raping or stealing, and still not be considered to go to your heaven, again, I'll pass.
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower