Friday, September 3, 2010

Stephen Hawking: Physics Leaves No Room For God. Really?

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“Faith certainly tells us what the senses do not, but not the contrary of what they see; it is above, not against them.” ~ Blaise Pascal

Stephen Hawking is, arguably, the smartest man in the world. He was explaining the science behind black holes, while I was preparing to enter Junior High School. In his new book, "The Grand Design," he claims that M Theory, a variation of String Theory, explains the Universe to such a degree, that a conscious creator, or God, is no longer part of the equation. (Watch Video Below)



I've read about M Theory, a time or two, as a hobby. As I understand it, the theory states that anything that can happen will happen in some parallel version of our Universe. In other words, there's a Universe in which I quarterback for the Bears, a Universe in which I write a best seller every four months, and a Universe in which I died as a child. You get the idea.

Hawking has applied this theory to the creation of the Universe, concluding that because anything that can happen will happen, the creation of the Universe was inevitable, therefore God wasn't necessary. I'm not sure his reasoning entirely works.

A Multiverse theory can explain why your socks disappear in the dryer, and why some people survive seemingly unsurvivable accidents. Such events had to happen in some Universe, they just happened to happen in this Universe. Even if we accept the existence of a Multiverse though, there's nothing to say that God didn't set the whole ball of wax into motion to begin with.

Science is very good at explaining how things work. The Earth spins and creates gravity which hold us down. Sunlight converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds to nourish plants. To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction. However, there are many questions science can't answer.

We know synapses in the brain create electrical impulses in the brain, making thought and motor function possible. We have no idea what thought is though, or what combination of simple electrical impulses make up memory, intellect, imagination, inspiration, passion, and personality. Science can't define the human spirit. Only faith, in something greater than ourselves, can begin to explain what we are.

To paraphrase Hamlet, there are more things in heaven and earth, Stephen, than are dreamt of in your science.

3 comments:

  1. I still believe the God concept is a cop out. http://www.examiner.com/atheism-in-los-angeles/ray-comfort-says-prof-stephen-hawking-is-unscientific

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  2. I don't know what God is, or if he/she ever wrote a book. Thousands of years ago though, SOMETHING inspired us to stop flinging poo and start using using tools, building homes, formalizing relationships, writing poetry, creating art, and making laws.

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  3. I also agree with Errata and Hawking. I believe it all could happen without god. Maybe we cannot explain some things yet, but who says we will not be able to in the future. Look at where we were 200, 100, even 50 years ago.

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