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Rodrigo castellanos
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 03 July 2012
Location: Uruguay
Posts: 1464
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| Posted: 14 March 2018 at 2:58pm | IP Logged | 1
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I'm not saying anything about the man's theories because I understand very little about them, in all honesty.
But seeing the most intelligent man in the world having a great sense of humor and being able to laugh about himself and his situation was always very comforting for me.
Definitely one of the good ones. RIP
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Robbie Parry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 June 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 12186
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| Posted: 14 March 2018 at 2:59pm | IP Logged | 2
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I must save this tweet to share with others:
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Steven Myers
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 10 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 5625
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| Posted: 14 March 2018 at 8:06pm | IP Logged | 3
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I learned a lot from Stephen Hawking. He knew a lot and shared it well.
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Steve De Young
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 01 April 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 3488
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 12:13am | IP Logged | 4
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I've seen two things from fellow Christian folk in my Facebook feed, both equally stupid:
1) Statements to the effect that somehow an atheist dying refutes his atheism...which doesn't even make sense, or
2) Memes of him being able to walk in heaven. Which given his personal views, also makes very little sense.
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Michael Penn
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 12 April 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 12444
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 4:57am | IP Logged | 5
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Walking in heaven makes no sense in virtually any view!
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132303
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 5:33am | IP Logged | 6
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Our common picture of "Heaven" derives from a descrption of the "New Jerusalem" to be found in Revelation. Pearly gates, streets of gold, the whole bit. The more simple minded among believers have long embraced this, giving us images of people in physical form there, with all their earthly ills cured. The blind see, the lame walk. The whole thing sounds rather like a celestial version of Las Vegas, and altogether tacky.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132303
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 6:39am | IP Logged | 7
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Then, there's Gahan Wilson's version:
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Conrad Teves
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 28 January 2014
Location: United States
Posts: 2175
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 7:12am | IP Logged | 8
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The level of anti-intellectualism in the world is really disturbing:
Rush Limbaugh takes issue with Hawking and the Big Bang: https://www.mediamatters.org/video/2018/03/14/limbaugh-quest ions-stephen-hawkings-promotion-big-bang-theory-nobody-could -see-it-how-hell-do-they/219637
Not gonna say he's as dumb as a bag of hammers (at least, not over this) because he has good questions. Unfortunately, it speaks volumes about his level of curiosity when he lives in an age when the (very interesting) answers to those questions are well known, and he has a device to instantly give them to him literally at his fingertips. Yet somehow, he doesn't bother to do a simple google search to find out. Compare and contrast with Foucault and Fizeau who wondered what the speed of light was, and discovered it using a lamp and some mirrors.
His assertion that he's not supposed to ask those questions? Totally false.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132303
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 7:22am | IP Logged | 9
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Religions are so frail that believers reject any questions. Likewise, they simply cannot tolerate the idea that some of those "unanswerable questions" do, in fact, have answers. That the Universe, as we find it, would be exactly as it is with or without the gods lurking behind the scenes.Hawking was quoted as saying (tho a quick google does not find this): "God may not be dead, but he is unnecessary." "Before" the universe there was nothing, literally, and therefore no rules to prevent the universe simply happening. It's a highly unlikely prospect, but, as someone said, it only needs to have happened ONCE!
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Robbie Parry
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 June 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 12186
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 7:49am | IP Logged | 10
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John Byrne wrote:
| It's a highly unlikely prospect, but, as someone said, it only needs to have happened ONCE! |
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Absolutely. Here we are!
Still, I am close to embracing religion. Someone online asked the "If evolution is true, how come there are still apes and monkeys?" question. They got me there! That'll make me a believer...
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132303
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 8:26am | IP Logged | 11
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Still, I am close to embracing religion. Someone online asked the "If evolution is true, how come there are still apes and monkeys?" question. They got me there! That'll make me a believer...••• Boy, I sure do hope you're being sarcastic, Robbie!
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Eric Sofer
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 31 January 2014
Location: United States
Posts: 4789
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| Posted: 15 March 2018 at 8:28am | IP Logged | 12
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ITEM: Robbie, I think of evolution as... well, as I hope it is. Evolution doesn't get rid of the old stuff... it just helps create the new stuff. Start with a primate that is almost ready to start standing to see farther to get a better idea of where predators are. It's like starting at one location... say, Kerrville, TX. If I go one way (west), I end up with gorillas and chimps (Disneyland.) If I go the other way (east), I end up with neanderthals, cro-magnons, and homo sapiens (DisneyWorld.) Obviously, it's FAR more complex than that... but I find it a useful model for people who ask about men, chimps, and "Why don't you marry a gorilla, Eric?" "Well, have you met my wife? Honey, give him the American Tourister treatment."
ITEM: Gee, wouldn't it be nice if someone such as Stephen Hawking were to rest in state at the Capital Rotunda? I doubt that his nationality has a lot to do with his critical contributions to humanity... But why would we put someone to rest in the Rotunda? Who could be worthy of such an honor? (/sarcasm off.)
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