RIP Stephen Hawking

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Even given that he had access to incredibly good medical care, Hawking's lifespan is amazing considering the ALS diagnosis when he was around 20.
Is it possible that his incredibly rich life of the mind had something to do with surviving his disease for so long?
I'm sure many people don't have a great desire to live when their physical abilities dwindle down to nearly nil...but, Hawking himself claimed that his condition may have had some advantages for the work to which he dedicated his life.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyFan


Sad to have seen him suffer the way he did, but it was inspiring to see him excel in spite of it. Amazing guy.


This
 
I would like to think he finally worked out what gravity is. This is forbidden knowledge for humans, so he had to ascend to another level. There he works on a harder problem, like what a woman is thinking.

Godspeed Dr Hawking.

A life well lived.

Rod
 
Originally Posted By: ragtoplvr
I would like to think he finally worked out what gravity is. This is forbidden knowledge for humans, so he had to ascend to another level. There he works on a harder problem, like what a woman is thinking.

Godspeed Dr Hawking.

A life well lived.

Rod


Just read up on Hawking radiation. Really amazing stuff. Too bad he's not around anymore, there will probably be more interesting stuff coming out once LIGO starts up again.

What's interesting is the concept that there's no time before the big bang and at the end of the universe there's no time either as technically the energy state will be slow low that there's not enough energy to even measure the passage of time.
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: Kira
Faith and science can ABSOLUTELY exist together in this world.


You'd think the more someone knows about the Universe (including this rock), the more they would realize it's not all just a gigantic random chance it all exists for no reason. Carl Sagan had a big picture viewpoint.


But how many times has this gone by without a conscious humanity to notice it?

When a cat grabs a doorknob and doens't open the door, does it get noticed?

Sometimes, watching some people, I don't think they're giving this go-round the reverence it deserves.
 
Originally Posted By: Yah-Tah-Hey
We are "the outcome of time and chance." There is no "breath of divinity" about us. Darwin got it right but admitted that he didn't have all the pieces. Watson and Crick provided the how with their discovery of the double helix and variation, selection and retention was complete.


Not every scientific worldview shares that faith.

But let's be careful about the topic of evolution and religion.

We have had some extensive discussions on the above that were locked.
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: Yah-Tah-Hey
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
He didn't believe in an after life. RIP Stephen, hope you were wrong.
He got that right also.

I doubt it ... he wasn't always right.

I doubt it as well, ZeeOSix.
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: Kira
Faith and science can ABSOLUTELY exist together in this world.

You'd think the more someone knows about the Universe (including this rock), the more they would realize it's not all just a gigantic random chance it all exists for no reason.

thumbsup2.gif
And when it comes down to it, there had to be an uncaused cause, but some people cannot wrap their minds around that ... so they dismiss it and they refuse to believe it.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: ragtoplvr
I would like to think he finally worked out what gravity is. This is forbidden knowledge for humans, so he had to ascend to another level. There he works on a harder problem, like what a woman is thinking.

Godspeed Dr Hawking.

A life well lived.

Rod


Just read up on Hawking radiation. Really amazing stuff. Too bad he's not around anymore, there will probably be more interesting stuff coming out once LIGO starts up again.

What's interesting is the concept that there's no time before the big bang and at the end of the universe there's no time either as technically the energy state will be slow low that there's not enough energy to even measure the passage of time.


LIGO was a real good test of some Relativity Theories.



If I recall correctly, it was Jacob Bekenstein

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02757029

who first proposed that a Black Hole could radiate or emit radiation. Hawking was not convinced and disagreed.

About 18 months to 2 years later Hawking was convinced and they co-wrote a paper on Black Hole Entropy.
 
he had every excuse to sit back and feel sorry for himself. he never did and lived to the full extent his broken body allowed. I respect him for that.
 
I'll go out on a limb here and risk a backlash. What did Hawking contribute to improve the human condition in a measurable and concrete way? It could be that his pie-in-the-sky theories have produced new agricultural techniques that are increasing crop yields, or his theories have resulted directly in new cures being developed for diseases, or other advances in medical technology. Or has it all been abstract ideas about the universe ? Doesn't count to claim he laid a foundation for potential future advances in technology that will have direct beneficial results on the human condition, only referring to the here and the now of the human race on this planet.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
I'll go out on a limb here and risk a backlash. What did Hawking contribute to improve the human condition in a measurable and concrete way? It could be that his pie-in-the-sky theories have produced new agricultural techniques that are increasing crop yields, or his theories have resulted directly in new cures being developed for diseases, or other advances in medical technology. Or has it all been abstract ideas about the universe ? Doesn't count to claim he laid a foundation for potential future advances in technology that will have direct beneficial results on the human condition, only referring to the here and the now of the human race on this planet.


So what has BITOG done to improve the human condition in a measurable and concrete way ?

For that matter, any of us posting ?

Who exactly would in your opinion, have improved the human condition in measurable and concrete ways ?
 
Not much I know of … perhaps with Tesla, Faraday, and Edison it’s more visible (sorry) …
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
I'll go out on a limb here and risk a backlash. What did Hawking contribute to improve the human condition in a measurable and concrete way? It could be that his pie-in-the-sky theories have produced new agricultural techniques that are increasing crop yields, or his theories have resulted directly in new cures being developed for diseases, or other advances in medical technology. Or has it all been abstract ideas about the universe ? Doesn't count to claim he laid a foundation for potential future advances in technology that will have direct beneficial results on the human condition, only referring to the here and the now of the human race on this planet.

LR, best post in this thread. I was thinking of this yesterday. MLK, Billy Graham, Mother Theresa, the countless anonymous people who volunteer at food banks, shelters, nonprofits, schools, free clinics etc.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
I'll go out on a limb here and risk a backlash. What did Hawking contribute to improve the human condition in a measurable and concrete way? It could be that his pie-in-the-sky theories have produced new agricultural techniques that are increasing crop yields, or his theories have resulted directly in new cures being developed for diseases, or other advances in medical technology. Or has it all been abstract ideas about the universe ? Doesn't count to claim he laid a foundation for potential future advances in technology that will have direct beneficial results on the human condition, only referring to the here and the now of the human race on this planet.


Alright, I'll bite, here's your backlash. Furthering knowledge is always a good thing even if it doesn't yield anything right away. For that matter, what's the point of Nasa? Going to the moon didn't directly help anyone, but the technologies developed lead to a lot of other things that have everyday appeal. He's in the same league as Einstein, but maybe not as famous.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
.... What did Hawking contribute to improve the human condition in a measurable and concrete way? .....


I think that's actually pretty easy to answer: as others have already noted, he set an example of grace and perseverance, and making the most of the life and the hand you've been dealt, in the face of almost incomprehensible adversity, that people should aspire to.

I don't know anything about his intellect or what it will mean to the human condition in the far off future, if anything. I lack the smarts to make such a judgment. Nor do I need to. His other example seems to be enough.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
I'll go out on a limb here and risk a backlash. What did Hawking contribute to improve the human condition in a measurable and concrete way? It could be that his pie-in-the-sky theories have produced new agricultural techniques that are increasing crop yields, or his theories have resulted directly in new cures being developed for diseases, or other advances in medical technology. Or has it all been abstract ideas about the universe ? Doesn't count to claim he laid a foundation for potential future advances in technology that will have direct beneficial results on the human condition, only referring to the here and the now of the human race on this planet.



I think you're looking at it the wrong way. What did he do that set the human condition BACK in any measurable and concrete way? He lived his life following his passion of physics and the universe and persevered with his work even though he had a debilitating disease that should have killed him 50 years ago. To me , this should be inspirational to all no matter what your beliefs.
 
Originally Posted By: Tony10s
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: Kira
Faith and science can ABSOLUTELY exist together in this world.

You'd think the more someone knows about the Universe (including this rock), the more they would realize it's not all just a gigantic random chance it all exists for no reason.

thumbsup2.gif
And when it comes down to it, there had to be an uncaused cause, but some people cannot wrap their minds around that ... so they dismiss it and they refuse to believe it.
And what caused the cause? Maybe existence is the default. If you have to appeal to the supernatural, your argument is weak.
 
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