Stephen Hawking Says The World Will End

[LeviathanZERO]

You originally equated theory (testable) to miracle (untestable, hysterical), so I don't understand what you're saying.

Then you read too much in to those words. My point is 100% verification and reproducibility. A theory would cease to be a theory if it has been 100% verified.

theory (ˈθɪər&#618
— n , pl -ries
1. a system of rules, procedures, and assumptions used to produce a result
2. abstract knowledge or reasoning
3. a speculative or conjectural view or idea: I have a theory about that
4. an ideal or hypothetical situation (esp in the phrase in theory )
5. a set of hypotheses related by logical or mathematical arguments to explain and predict a wide variety of connected phenomena in general terms: the theory of relativity
6. a nontechnical name for hypothesis
[C16: from Late Latin theōria, from Greek: a sight, from theōrein to gaze upon]

By definition you shouldn't be confused.

 

[rflcptr]

I understand the definition of theory. Your point, not so much.

 

[LeviathanZERO]

I understand the definition of theory. Your point, not so much.

OK, we're done.

 

[Metrocall]

Haha, are there still people that think theory = guess?

 

[lcpiper]

Theory is backed by evidence, observation, and so on. It doesn't rely on what one chooses to see or interpret on a whim.

You originally equated theory (testable) to miracle (untestable, hysterical), so I don't understand what you're saying.

I am going out on a limb here and guessing you are talking about biblical miracles?

Just playing Devil's Advocate here but according to written documents, those were witnessed events

 

[Ocean]

If you are a scientific thinker, religion seems silly. Blind faith is for the weak-minded.

i am a scientific thinker, and i disagree that religion is silly.

/atheist (technically agnostic, i could see scientific possibility that god is an alien)


on balance, as a whole, i think religion is good. there are a lot of fucking mass murdering moronic psychos in the world that are too stupid to realize things like rape and murder and thievery might be bad for human civilization advancement.

if these dumbasses need to be told like a child by an invisible parent, that they better be good or they wont get presents for christmas or maybe even be sent to their room for all eternity, fine by me.

if a few intelligent people find solace and comfort, which yields happier lives and increased productivity, by believing the same thing, its insignificant collateral damage.

 

[Revdarian]

Soylent Green is a nice solution alongside China-like policies!

 

[octoberasian]

To help those posters above me:

Hypothesis:

If Steve has a beard, then when I pull it downward it will hurt.

If Jesus is human, then pricking His finger with a needle will cause Him to bleed.

If a large astronomical body bends light from a distant star, then I should be able to observe the light from that distant star even if an astronomical body such as the sun is blocking it.

Theory:

Theory of Steve's Fictional Beard:

Based on multiple hypotheses and testing, it is theorized that Steve's magnificent beard shows strength and resilience to being pulled by random forum members.

Theory of Jesus' Human Nature:

Based on the hypothesis that Jesus will bleed when His skin is punctured with a needle or sharp object, we can assume that Jesus is therefore human.

Theory of General Relativity:

Using multiple observations based on the hypothesis that a large astronomical body will bend the light of a distant star, the theory predicts that gravity from those massive astronomical bodies will bend or deflect light.

[Scientific] Law:

The Law of Steve's Beard:

1. For every tug on Steve's beard, it returns back to its original position.

2. Tugging it too far results in a permanent ban on the forum.

Newton's Laws of Motion:

1. If no net force is applied on an object, its velocity is constant.
2. The acceleration of a body is directly proportional to the force acting upon that body in the same direction and is inversely proportional to the mass of that body.
3. For every force there is an equal and opposite force acting on an object.

Miracle:

Miracles of Jesus Christ:

Jesus resurrected on the third day after His crucifixion and rose to Heaven.

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus fed a thousand people with a single fish and a jar of wine.

 

[lcpiper]

It doesn't take long for a child who has been raised without any discipline or control to demonstrate just how bad a human being can become without some level of control.

Without discipline, control, and education, we become monsters.

So there you have it. Pick your poison, be it Baptist, Muslim, or the Matrix, we do need control.

How much and in what form has been up for discussion world wide for the last millennium.

 

[Kalabalana]

for a guy who's entire "career" is theortical, he'd have spent time better working on his condition. Contributed ... nothing...

Technically you could argue everything is theoretical (everything is). Hawking made substantial contributions to the standard model, and because of people like him, you literally have everything you have, and are not living in a cave.

 

[Kalabalana]

It doesn't take long for a child who has been raised without any discipline or control to demonstrate just how bad a human being can become without some level of control.

Without discipline, control, and education, we become monsters.

So there you have it. Pick your poison, be it Baptist, Muslim, or the Matrix, we do need control.

How much and in what form has been up for discussion world wide for the last millennium.

This is incorrect. While your argument may apply to a portion of humanity, it cannot be said that it applies to all.
Trying to find justification for your reasoning leads me to some negative assumptions regarding your world view(s).I'd advise entertaining perspectives after shifting your mindset with respect to anything and everything. You will discover new worlds depending on your cognitive ability. Or, you can entertain one of our many unconscious defense mechanisms, which always seems to rationalize unfavorable, or simply just different views, as being incorrect, or that person being "stupid" or a "bad person". Funny how we interpret value and place what we decide upon others.

 

[Serpent]

The world will end...billions of years from now when the sun swallows it when it turns into a red giant. We'll be long gone though either from disease, war, drastic climate change, aliens, or who knows what.

Actually, I remember reading that our sun is way too small to ever become a red giant. I could have remembered wrong though.

 

[Azhar]

It doesn't take long for a child who has been raised without any discipline or control to demonstrate just how bad a human being can become without some level of control.

Without discipline, control, and education, we become monsters.

So there you have it. Pick your poison, be it Baptist, Muslim, or the Matrix, we do need control.

How much and in what form has been up for discussion world wide for the last millennium.

That's funny because one can argue that religion has caused humanity to spiral OUT of control. What are the two biggest factor that causes humanity to engage in warfare? Greed and Religion. I've never heard of a scientist go to war against another scientist because they think their science is correct and the other side isn't.

Religion isn't needed to keep humanity in check. Morality on the other hand - something religion is supposed to teach, but fail to do so - is supposed to keep humanity in check. But then there's the problem is defining morality.

 

[Serpent]

Oh, wait... I just remembered, not red giant but supernova. Ugh, my memory sucks.

 

[dgz]

Humans take over a new planet they'll have it over populated to the point some certain un-named countries are now and and exploit all its resources in 100 years or so anyways

And yet, those certain unnamed countries, with their truly excessive populations, consume far resources than other, more developed ones. And I am not talking person for person, but as a whole.

Anyways, Earth would be an amazing place to live if human population were to be reduced to a billion at most.

Not a lot of nice places without people. I wish I could roam the nature, even empty city streets.

 

[RadXge]

Hypothesis
If a moderator reads this thread, then this thread will be locked.

Theory
Using past observations, this thread should be locked within 24 hours

Law
Derailing threads are generally locked by a moderator.

Miracle
This thread will remain and I will shortly be able to buy a brand new GTX Titan for $100.

 

[lcpiper]

This is incorrect. While your argument may apply to a portion of humanity, it cannot be said that it applies to all.

Kalabalana, what is incorrect? You did not specify which statement is incorrect.

 

[lcpiper]

Azhar

What are the two biggest factor that causes humanity to engage in warfare? Greed and Religion.

Religion and Greed are not factors that cause or compel humans to engage in warfare. It is the "human" ie.... selfish greedy intolerant dominating nature of man that uses Religion as an excuse or justification for war.

I would argue it is not religion in and of itself that has started wars but the flaws and weaknesses in how man sometimes exercises their religious beliefs. The problem isn't religion, it's man.

 

[Climber]

I'm pretty sure almost all religious beliefs also foster negative things, so your desire for religion to be net positive isn't assured. I could talk about all the subtle things like dividing neighborhoods, rejecting sound scientific theories etc, but lets just start with the big obvious one, war started because of religious divisions.

So if you take away religion there would be no war?

War started before religious divisions and war will continue regardless of religious divisions. Look at the threats of the "non-religious" in this thread. They're the only ones calling for someone to be killed and their genetic line wiped off the face of the Earth.

 

[Ducman69]

What Hawkings is saying is that we need to diversify our portfolio, so to speak, so we can weather any global threats to the survival of our species. Even if Earth was wiped out, if we have colonies elsewhere in the solar system or in other planetary systems, we're in a much better position to continue our existence.

Yup, a single very large asteroid could spell extinction for our entire race, so even small colonies if self-sufficient is good insurance and important since Earth holds the only life that we know of at the very least in this solar system.

Long-term survival should be a primary strategy consideration for any species that considers itself intelligent, otherwise we aren't much more than a glorified virus.

Spending a bunch on illegal aliens, wellfare moms popping out half a dozen kids, and a bunch of other BS entitlements and the like does not result in the long-term betterment and survival of humanity.

 

[Ducman69]

Jesus fed a thousand people with a single fish and a jar of wine.

$100 says that if you could poll those people, they were still pretty hungry after receiving such a small portion of the whole.

 

[stevedave]

Yup, a single very large asteroid could spell extinction for our entire race, so even small colonies if self-sufficient is good insurance and important since Earth holds the only life that we know of at the very least in this solar system.

Long-term survival should be a primary strategy consideration for any species that considers itself intelligent, otherwise we aren't much more than a glorified virus.

Spending a bunch on illegal aliens, wellfare moms popping out half a dozen kids, and a bunch of other BS entitlements and the like does not result in the long-term betterment and survival of humanity.

Maybe you should take a look at the US budget and debt and you'll see where the bulk of our money goes too...Hint its not entitlements...The US likely spends more on its military budget then the entire world spends on entitlements.

sustaining a stable society is the best way for technological advancements.

 

[Climber]

...Religion isn't needed to keep humanity in check. Morality on the other hand - something religion is supposed to teach, but fail to do so - is supposed to keep humanity in check. But then there's the problem is defining morality.

I'm on lunch so not going to say much on this but the majority of people's views on Christianity are so skewed so much so that that very few people can correctly identify what a Christian is. Christian has become a "catch-all" phrase that apparently everyone falls under now.

The Bible doesn't attempt to teach morality, that is the fault of men who feel the need to impose their views on others. What the Bible teaches is that you are to love your enemy and bless those that curse you. That is what Christianity is and should be. I can go on and on about this and what religion has done to deface Christianity.

Just because someone is a Christian doesn't mean that they are an unintelligent, gullible, naive, and narrow minded individual. Far from it. Just because Hawking thinks religion makes no sense doesn't mean it is or isn't true. Does one need to believe in evolution to be considered intelligent or can one still question the theory? Does one who believes that the Earth is greater than 4.6 billion years old hate the Bible and not believe in God?

I hate how polarizing these topics become. This is almost proof-positive that people have no respect for each other which pretty much seals the deal for me that even without religion people would still find ways to commit violence against each other.

 

[lcpiper]

I'm pretty sure almost all religious beliefs also foster negative things

As I said earlier, I am not a particularly religious person. I don't go to church. I have seen some things though that make a strong argument for the divine.

Anyway, this is getting far off the topic. As for the end of the world, not happening like these smart guys think. The spend too much time analyzing reports and data and not enough with their toes in the grass smelling the daisies.

I read things, global warming this rain forest that. But where I live I can still walk outside or take a short drive into the hills and the world is still just like I remember it 50 years ago when I was a kid. The air is still fresh, the sun warm, the rain is wet and it still smells good right after.

This planet, Earth, is far more resilient and forgiving then puny man and his over sized ego allows. We give ourselves far too much credit when it comes to our effect on this magnificent world.

You can thank god for that.




(I couldn't resist )

 

[lcpiper]

.... is good insurance and important since Earth holds the only life that we know of ...

Look at the universe, at all of that out there. What makes life such a big deal? I hazard it's only a big deal to us.

 

[Ducman69]

Maybe you should take a look at the US budget and debt and you'll see where the bulk of our money goes to...

For starters, you are wrong regarding mandatory and entitlement expenditures.

Secondly, military power is one of the few last things that the United States is good at, and that our economy and world position absolutely relies upon (just as the English and Roman empires and so forth before her). It is really the only thing that ensures that the world still trades in the petro-dollar (necessary to make our debt sustainable and force countries to absorb our inflation costs), gives us political power in foreign nations to influence policy in our favor, pays for itself in large part as the US does charge for shipping protection for example and we sell advanced arms at a pretty penny to allies, and its a huge world stabilizing force that actually prevents many costly wars as the United States can drop such a large hammer as to criple virtually any other economy with naval blockade and strategic airstrikes (even without a full on invasion and occupation).

In fact, if the US were to suddenly disappear, we would likely see a worldwide arms race escalate out of control to fill the vacuum overnight, with WW3 soon to follow.

Entitlement spending is also escalating out of control, and has a debilitating effect on the economy as people grow dependent on the wellfare state and never become net tax contributors.

But hey, if you're a bleeding heart Acorn supporter, that's certainly your right.

 

[stevedave]

For starters, you are wrong regarding mandatory and entitlement expenditures.

Secondly, military power is one of the few last things that the United States is good at, and that our economy and world position absolutely relies upon (just as the English and Roman empires and so forth before her). It is really the only thing that ensures that the world still trades in the petro-dollar (necessary to make our debt sustainable and force countries to absorb our inflation costs), gives us political power in foreign nations to influence policy in our favor, pays for itself in large part as the US does charge for shipping protection for example and we sell advanced arms at a pretty penny to allies, and its a huge world stabilizing force that actually prevents many costly wars as the United States can drop such a large hammer as to criple virtually any other economy with naval blockade and strategic airstrikes (even without a full on invasion and occupation).

In fact, if the US were to suddenly disappear, we would likely see a worldwide arms race escalate out of control to fill the vacuum overnight, with WW3 soon to follow.

Entitlement spending is also escalating out of control, and has a debilitating effect on the economy as people grow dependent on the wellfare state and never become net tax contributors.

But hey, if you're a bleeding heart Acorn supporter, that's certainly your right.

Right...our entire society relies on feeding a post military complex to sustain itself and the problem is entitlements...

 

[Red Falcon]

Sorry, we need to cut science funding and space exploration. We need more useless wars and social spending.

This made me lol.

 

[lcpiper]

I don't mean to be harsh but ....

post military complex

WTF is that?

Do you just string together whatever sounds good at the moment or is there a special book somewhere you get this crap from?

 

[Hitmanthe3rd]

Hawking doesn't say the "World is going to end" He says that if we don't leave our fragile planet in 1000 years, were going to be in trouble. He explains that space exploration is a very important thing. He goes on to say that asking questions is also super important, because it's the only way to learn.

 

[lcpiper]

President Barack Obama today sent to Congress a proposed defense budget of $671 billion for fiscal 2012.

USDA’s total outlays for 2012 are estimated at $145 billion.
The FY 2012 President's Budget request of $12.522 billion for SSA.
Composition of the FY 2012 Budget $892 Billion in Outlays (from the HHS Document)

Now I am not going to try to dig into each of these major departments to see which spends what for whatever. Just look at the raw totals of these numbers. Some of the numbers are not the actual budget but the budget the Pres asked the agency to live with. Since at least some of the money in each case is sort of required spending let's just look at the raw totals to get a feel.

DoD $671 billion
All the others combined $1.495 Trillion

And by the way, the VA and Military Retention Pay, (retirement plan), comes from DoD's budget, not from any of the others.

 

[stevedave]

I don't mean to be harsh but ....



WTF is that?

Do you just string together whatever sounds good at the moment or is there a special book somewhere you get this crap from?

Confusion understood; the term is officially called Military–industrial complex. Its rather well know and was even referenced in Eisenhower's farewell address

Feel free to read up on it and maybe even listen to Eisenhower's farewell address....But what does Eisenhower know.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military–industrial_complex

 

[ManofGod]

$100 says that if you could poll those people, they were still pretty hungry after receiving such a small portion of the whole.

They were feed by 5 loaves and 2 small fish to 5000 men. (That is not including women or children which were also there.) All eat until they had their fill which means, everyone was full.

 

[jstenuf]

We are all GOING TO DIE! Thanks Stephen Hawking, thanks a lot.

What's the problem? In 500 years we will just terraform another fragile earth.

 

[melteye]

I don't mean to be harsh but ....

WTF is that?

Do you just string together whatever sounds good at the moment or is there a special book somewhere you get this crap from?

Considering that term probably made sense to most people here (understood as military-industrial complex), you must feel 'special' now.

 

[Red Squirrel]

If we stopped destroying this planet so much with our heavy use of fossil fuel, clear cutting forests, killing off endangered species etc.... we could probably make it last longer. But who wants to do that? It's all about making money and not caring about the environment. Who cares about the future! Let's melt those ice caps, we wont be alive by the time shit hits the fan anyway right?

Sadly that's actually the attitude of most people.

 

[next-Jin]

For starters, you are wrong regarding mandatory and entitlement expenditures.

Secondly, military power is one of the few last things that the United States is good at, and that our economy and world position absolutely relies upon (just as the English and Roman empires and so forth before her). It is really the only thing that ensures that the world still trades in the petro-dollar (necessary to make our debt sustainable and force countries to absorb our inflation costs), gives us political power in foreign nations to influence policy in our favor, pays for itself in large part as the US does charge for shipping protection for example and we sell advanced arms at a pretty penny to allies, and its a huge world stabilizing force that actually prevents many costly wars as the United States can drop such a large hammer as to criple virtually any other economy with naval blockade and strategic airstrikes (even without a full on invasion and occupation).

In fact, if the US were to suddenly disappear, we would likely see a worldwide arms race escalate out of control to fill the vacuum overnight, with WW3 soon to follow.

Entitlement spending is also escalating out of control, and has a debilitating effect on the economy as people grow dependent on the wellfare state and never become net tax contributors.

But hey, if you're a bleeding heart Acorn supporter, that's certainly your right.

You're a neoconservative aren't you?

 

[ChronoDetector]

Meh, all these "predictions" about the world ending is all bullshit, a lot of people predicted the end of the world in the past and none of it came true.

I'm sure humans will either kill each other or either that the sun will go into a red giant phase scheduled to happen in few billions time, if humans are still around or whatever and then the Earth is doomed.

 

[octoberasian]

Meh, all these "predictions" about the world ending is all bullshit, a lot of people predicted the end of the world in the past and none of it came true.

I'm sure humans will either kill each other or either that the sun will go into a red giant phase scheduled to happen in few billions time, if humans are still around or whatever and then the Earth is doomed.

I've always told myself this since high school seeing I'm a big fan of human history. History has taught me a lot of things and I've come to this one conclusion:

The world we currently live in and know is going to end...
... not by Jesus, Allah, or whatever god, goddess, gods you believe in.
... not by a meteor the size of Texas.
... not by poles shifting and the Earth entering another Ice Age.
... not from massive continental shift.
... not by the Sun going supernova on us.

If human history has taught me anything, we will cause our own end. It'll be either another world war or using up all the resources on this Earth or our own ignorance, incompetence, and lack of sympathy and empathy for our fellow human being.

The greatest weapon we possess is not a nuclear weapon but ourselves. And, this weapon has the capacity to destroy us or to save us.​

 

[IndieSnob]

So this is what he came up with slouching in his thinking chair all day long? Genius!

As someone who cared for his Father while watching him die slowly from Lou Gehrig's Disease, all I can say is that you're a sorry excuse for a human being to make light of anyone in that condition.