06-08-2010, 11:41 AM
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Let slip the dogs of war.
Industry Role:
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bermuda
Posts: 17,263
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Quote:
Hawking: Religion will be defeated by science
There were some techies Monday who believed they experienced a sighting of God somewhere in San Francisco.
Those people might care to hark at deeply relevant news. God will be defeated by science. No, not by faltering Wi-Fi systems at a conference. And, no, these are not my words. This is the considered opinion of someone sometimes referred to as the cleverest man in the world, Stephen Hawking.
In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, due to air Monday evening, Hawking expounded upon the largest questions, those that transcend iPhones and androids: Can science and God live happily ever after?
According to ABC News, Hawking first tried to define God in a way that he, as a scientist, might feel comfortable: "What could define God (is thinking of God) as the embodiment of the laws of nature. However, this is not what most people would think of that God," he said.
Indeed, he expressed disappointment at how humans have thought of deity.
"They made a human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship. When you look at the vast size of the universe and how insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most impossible," he said.
Perhaps there will be some who might conceive that stranger things have happened. Others will nod sagely, while still secretly hoping there is another life after this one. However, couldn't one imagine a point at which science and religion somehow meet, shake hands and positions and agree on a concord?
Hawking, who has already recommended that we should steer clear of aliens, suggested to Sawyer that this was somewhat less likely than North Korea winning the World Cup: "There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, (and) science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works."
... http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20006990-71.html
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Fortunately I have more faith in Mr Hawking than I do in crack pots like the demon.
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