RIP Stephen Hawking

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Sam Vara
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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aflatun wrote: Thu Mar 15, 2018 1:58 pm Motor neuron disease is a horrible condition that devastates most people, and he not only endured it, and endured it longer than most (as most forms put you out of your misery quite fast) but managed to have a productive life while doing so. I think most people would fail to do the same, so its hard to exaggerate how worthy of respect that is. May he fare well!
Agreed. As an atheist materialist, he would have presumably had no worries about the personal consequences of ending his life. And as a wealthy intelligent man surrounded by helpers, he would have had every opportunity to do it. But he kept going. And he spoke movingly about living "one day at a time" in the face of adversity, and doing what he could to advance human knowledge. For me, that's quite humbling.
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Sam Vara wrote: Thu Mar 15, 2018 3:52 pmAgreed. As an atheist materialist, he would have presumably had no worries about the personal consequences of ending his life. And as a wealthy intelligent man surrounded by helpers, he would have had every opportunity to do it. But he kept going. And he spoke movingly about living "one day at a time" in the face of adversity, and doing what he could to advance human knowledge. For me, that's quite humbling.
I find it rather predictable. Wealth makes it so much easier to stick around in this world, despite whatever other problems one might have.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
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Sam Vara
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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binocular wrote: Fri Mar 16, 2018 12:45 pm
Sam Vara wrote: Thu Mar 15, 2018 3:52 pmAgreed. As an atheist materialist, he would have presumably had no worries about the personal consequences of ending his life. And as a wealthy intelligent man surrounded by helpers, he would have had every opportunity to do it. But he kept going. And he spoke movingly about living "one day at a time" in the face of adversity, and doing what he could to advance human knowledge. For me, that's quite humbling.
I find it rather predictable. Wealth makes it so much easier to stick around in this world, despite whatever other problems one might have.
Then it's a win for both of us, binocular! I get to feel humbled, and you don't get any nasty surprises. Anumodana!
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Sam Vara wrote: Fri Mar 16, 2018 1:18 pmThen it's a win for both of us, binocular! I get to feel humbled, and you don't get any nasty surprises. Anumodana!
:toast:

There, if there has even been a more appropriate time for this emoticon! And to think they wanted to do away with it!
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
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Sam Vara
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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I really liked this obituary of Hawking which appeared in the Church Times, the Anglican Newspaper. The author knew Hawking personally, and also taught my wife when she studied theology at Cambridge. Most people saw Hawking as antithetical to Christianity, but I like the generosity of this piece, plus the fact that it doesn't avoid the criticism of ideas out of misplaced respect:
STEPHEN HAWKING was iconic: to say that is to risk cliché, but it was true several times over: in science, in human struggle, in a life of activism. Within his discipline of cosmology and mathematical physics, Professor Hawking was a giant, who made enormous contributions to our understanding of black holes, quantum gravity, and cosmic inflation.

His prominence as a representative figure, however, went far further. His long and courageous struggle with motor neurone disease, for more than half a century, places him alongside Pope John Paul II in the public imagination as an example of determination and good grace. He was also an emblematic “public intellectual” and an active campaigner on a host of topics. He was a strenuous advocate of the National Health Service, for instance, taking on both the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, and Republican critics of universal health-care in the United States.

Professor Hawking’s prominence was profound — on climate change and other “existential risks”, or on nuclear disarmament, as much as on health care — but his authority was not simply his own: it was also the authority of science. The standing of science finds no clearer example than Professor Hawking. His personal struggles may have underlined his authority, but it was grounded on his position as the representative scientist, and on physics as the representative science among sciences. Even in a country that has “grown tired of experts”, the currency of Hawking’s expertise was not debased.
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/ ... s-a-favour
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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RIP

Image

:toast:
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Sam Vara
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Disciple wrote: Fri Mar 16, 2018 9:52 pm RIP

Image

:toast:
Knowing the case
of a clear-minded person,
the One Awakened explained its meaning
in the presence of the monks.
If that person
were to die at this instant,
he'd reappear in heaven
because his mind is clear —
as if he were carried off
and placed there.
It's because of clear-mindedness
that beings go
to a good destination.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ati/tip ... .than.html
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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From Cambridge University in memory of Stephen Hawking

Professor Stephen Hawking (1942 – 2018). Widely regarded as one of the world’s most brilliant minds, Stephen Hawking, who died this week at the age of 76, was known throughout the world for his contributions to science, his books, his television appearances, his lectures and through biographical films. He leaves three children and three grandchildren. All of us at Cambridge University will miss him greatly.



The comment by Hackerz Webb and replies to it show how much of an inspiration he was to young people.

:candle: :candle: :candle:

:namaste:
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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I think you're being pedantic



Stephen Hawking talking about Brian Cox.
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Lucas Oliveira
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Stephen Hawking's 'breathtaking' final multiverse theory completed two weeks before he died
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/201 ... ultiverse/

A View of The Spiritual World
http://www.japaretreats.com/wp-content/ ... -large.jpg


:namaste:
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Lucas Oliveira wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 12:30 am Stephen Hawking's 'breathtaking' final multiverse theory completed two weeks before he died
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/201 ... ultiverse/

A View of The Spiritual World
http://www.japaretreats.com/wp-content/ ... -large.jpg


:namaste:
"Hawking was an honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. "

I think he will be awarded a postumus Nobel prize.
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Bhikkhu Pesala wrote: Sun Mar 18, 2018 10:05 am I think you're being pedantic



Stephen Hawking talking about Brian Cox.
Thanks venerable, it eases the pain.
"And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech."

— SN 45.8
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Stephen Hawking's Ashes to be Interred in Westminster Abbey alongside Darwin and Isaac Newton.

Ironic for a well-known Atheist to be honoured by the Christian church in this way.
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Bhikkhu Pesala wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:27 am Stephen Hawking's Ashes to be Interred in Westminster Abbey alongside Darwin and Isaac Newton.
Newton, Thompson, Rutherford, Dirac, Hawking...
Quite a collection of Physics luminaries there... not sure if I'm missing anyone.

All associated with Cambridge, though Rutherford earned his bachelors and masters degrees in New Zealand.

Mike
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Sam Vara
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Re: RIP Stephen Hawking

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Bhikkhu Pesala wrote: Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:27 am Stephen Hawking's Ashes to be Interred in Westminster Abbey alongside Darwin and Isaac Newton.

Ironic for a well-known Atheist to be honoured by the Christian church in this way.
It was probably members of the "Establishment" including Theresa May who opted for the Abbey. The C of E is happy to officiate at the send off of anyone of any faith (subject to last wishes or those of relatives) and would also have said the minimum apropriate words over him at the local crematorium.

Very appropriate for him to end up in a black hole, though.
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