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Octavius Hite
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Location: Househunting, looking for a new bunker from which to convert the world to homosexuality.
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 Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 8:08 pm Post subject: Hawking: Pope told him not to study universe origins |
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Science under attack? Of course not you heathens!
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Features/2006/06/15/1634206-ap.html
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HONG KONG (AP) � World-renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking said Thursday that the late Pope John Paul II once told scientists they should not study the beginning of the universe because it was the work of God.
Hawking, author of the best-seller �A Brief History of Time,� said John Paul made the comments at a cosmology conference at the Vatican. He did not say when the meeting was held.
Hawking quoted the pope as saying, �It�s OK to study the universe and where it began. But we should not inquire into the beginning itself because that was the moment of creation and the work of God.�
The scientist then joked that he was glad John Paul did not realize that he had presented a paper at the conference suggesting how the universe began.
�I didn�t fancy the thought of being handed over to the Inquisition like Galileo,� Hawking said during a sold-out audience at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
The church condemned Galileo in the 17th century for supporting Nicholas Copernicus� discovery that the Earth revolved around the sun. Church teaching at the time placed Earth at the center of the universe.
But in 1992, Pope John Paul II issued a declaration saying the church�s denunciation of Galileo was an error resulting from �tragic mutual incomprehension.�
Hawking is one of the best-known theoretical physicists of his generation. He has done groundbreaking research on black holes and the origins of the universe, and he proposes that space and time have no beginning and no end.
During a question-and-answer session, Hawking was asked where constants like gravity come from and whether gravity can distort light.
But there were several humorous moments.
The wheelchair-bound Hawking, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, communicates with an electronic speech synthesizer. Hawking was asked why his computerized voice has an American accent.
�The voice I use is a very old hardware speech synthesizer made in 1986,� he said. �I keep it because I have not heard a voice I like better and because I have identified with it.�
He said he once considered using a machine that gave him a French accent, but he did not because his wife would divorce him.
But Hawking said he is shopping for a new system because his current hardware is large and fragile, using components that are no longer made.
�I have been trying to get a software version, but it seems very difficult,� he said.
He urged people with physical disabilities not to give up on their ambitions.
�You can�t afford to be disabled in spirit as well as physically,� he said. �People won�t have time for you.�
Hawking ended his lecture saying, �We are getting closer to answering the age-old questions: Why are we here? Where did we come from?� |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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I do not doubt that the Vatican and other religious authorities want to discourage this kind of investigation -- it has been that way since Galileo and then Darwin.
But, in any case, this interdisciplinary research will inevitably go forward. No one can influence or stop it.
By the way, Hawking spoke on many topics in Hong Kong. And I do not believe that he harbors any resentments with respect to the Church or John Paul II's suggestion or request (Hawking does not refer to it as an instruction). His tone on religion is pretty dispassionate and balanced in Black Holes and Baby Universes -- which is a nice layman's intoduction to the man's research.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/06/15/johnpaul.hawking.ap/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/06/14/humansurvival.hawking.ap/index.html |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Maybe it's a matter of semantics. Surely the church is against genetic engineering and such. The church is noted, however, for its firm belief in Big Bang and cosmological research. |
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khyber
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Compunction Junction
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| Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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friggin' cripple!!  |
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kingplaya4
Joined: 14 May 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| khyber wrote: |
| friggin' cripple!! |
Cripple that accomplished a lot more than you'll ever hope to. |
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igotthisguitar
Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:01 am Post subject: |
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| kingplaya4 wrote: |
| khyber wrote: |
| friggin' cripple!! |
Cripple that accomplished a lot more than you'll ever hope to. |
Hawking has banged a helluva lotta poon. |
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Guri Guy
Joined: 07 Sep 2003
Location: Bamboo Island
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| Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:01 am Post subject: |
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Steven Hawking is a fascinating man. Actually my sister married his son Robert Hawking. They are now seperated unfortunately but it was very cool to meet him and talk to him at the wedding. My claim to fame anyway. 
The Vatican should not hinder the asking of questions and the search for the truth in my opinion. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Gopher wrote: |
I do not doubt that the Vatican and other religious authorities want to discourage this kind of investigation -- it has been that way since Galileo and then Darwin.
But, in any case, this interdisciplinary research will inevitably go forward. No one can influence or stop it.
By the way, Hawking spoke on many topics in Hong Kong. And I do not believe that he harbors any resentments with respect to the Church or John Paul II's suggestion or request (Hawking does not refer to it as an instruction). His tone on religion is pretty dispassionate and balanced in Black Holes and Baby Universes -- which is a nice layman's intoduction to the man's research.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/06/15/johnpaul.hawking.ap/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/06/14/humansurvival.hawking.ap/index.html |
Pius XII and John Paul II have made statements asserting that they believe that evolution probably did occur (although John Paul II contended that Homo sapiens isn't a product of evolution as the rest of the animal kingdom). Pius XII appeared to be a big supporter of the Big Bang theory, stating publicly that it served as proof of the existence of God. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Guri Guy wrote: |
Steven Hawking is a fascinating man. Actually my sister married his son Robert Hawking. They are now seperated unfortunately but it was very cool to meet him and talk to him at the wedding. My claim to fame anyway.
The Vatican should not hinder the asking of questions and the search for the truth in my opinion. |
No way! If it's true, you are quasi-scientific royalty--kind of like the king's feeble-minded nephew, but royalty nonetheless. |
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Guri Guy
Joined: 07 Sep 2003
Location: Bamboo Island
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| Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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True story. I even got to carry his wheelchair up the stairs to his son's apartment. The battery made it super heavy. I had a brief conversation with him but I can't remember what I asked him. I remember he made me laugh when he told me a joke. All the respect in the world for the guy.
PS I think anyone would be feeble minded next to that guy. Hee hee. Calculus and varius mathematics are not my strong point either. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Guri Guy wrote: |
True story. I even got to carry his wheelchair up the stairs to his son's apartment. The battery made it super heavy. I had a brief conversation with him but I can't remember what I asked him. I remember he made me laugh when he told me a joke. All the respect in the world for the guy.
PS I think anyone would be feeble minded next to that guy. Hee hee. Calculus and varius mathematics are not my strong point either. |
Well, I don't think anyone on this forum can top that story.
I just love the fact that, inspite his physical limitations, he's capable of having people sit at the edge of their seat in anticipation for his next joke or pearl of wisdom. |
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fiveeagles
Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: Vancouver
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| Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:44 am Post subject: Re: Hawking: Pope told him not to study universe origins |
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| Octavius Hite wrote: |
Science under attack? Of course not you heathens!
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Features/2006/06/15/1634206-ap.html
| Quote: |
HONG KONG (AP) � World-renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking said Thursday that the late Pope John Paul II once told scientists they should not study the beginning of the universe because it was the work of God.
Hawking, author of the best-seller �A Brief History of Time,� said John Paul made the comments at a cosmology conference at the Vatican. He did not say when the meeting was held.
Hawking quoted the pope as saying, �It�s OK to study the universe and where it began. But we should not inquire into the beginning itself because that was the moment of creation and the work of God.�
The scientist then joked that he was glad John Paul did not realize that he had presented a paper at the conference suggesting how the universe began.
�I didn�t fancy the thought of being handed over to the Inquisition like Galileo,� Hawking said during a sold-out audience at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
The church condemned Galileo in the 17th century for supporting Nicholas Copernicus� discovery that the Earth revolved around the sun. Church teaching at the time placed Earth at the center of the universe.
But in 1992, Pope John Paul II issued a declaration saying the church�s denunciation of Galileo was an error resulting from �tragic mutual incomprehension.�
Hawking is one of the best-known theoretical physicists of his generation. He has done groundbreaking research on black holes and the origins of the universe, and he proposes that space and time have no beginning and no end.
During a question-and-answer session, Hawking was asked where constants like gravity come from and whether gravity can distort light.
But there were several humorous moments.
The wheelchair-bound Hawking, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, communicates with an electronic speech synthesizer. Hawking was asked why his computerized voice has an American accent.
�The voice I use is a very old hardware speech synthesizer made in 1986,� he said. �I keep it because I have not heard a voice I like better and because I have identified with it.�
He said he once considered using a machine that gave him a French accent, but he did not because his wife would divorce him.
But Hawking said he is shopping for a new system because his current hardware is large and fragile, using components that are no longer made.
�I have been trying to get a software version, but it seems very difficult,� he said.
He urged people with physical disabilities not to give up on their ambitions.
�You can�t afford to be disabled in spirit as well as physically,� he said. �People won�t have time for you.�
Hawking ended his lecture saying, �We are getting closer to answering the age-old questions: Why are we here? Where did we come from?� |
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Brave of Hawkings to bring it up now after the Pope is dead. |
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khyber
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Compunction Junction
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| Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:56 am Post subject: |
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| friggin' cripple!! |
Cripple that accomplished a lot more than you'll ever hope to. |
I thought the "wink" avatar sorta cleared the sarcasm. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:08 am Post subject: |
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HollywoodAction wrote:
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| John Paul II contended that Homo sapiens isn't a product of evolution as the rest of the animal kingdom). |
As far as I can tell, JPII didn't deny that man evolved. He just said that even if man did evolve, man is still different from the rest of the animal kingdom by virtue of having a soul.
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Pius XII stressed this essential point: If the human body take its origin from pre-existent living matter, the spiritual soul is immediately created by God ("animas enim a Deo immediate creari catholica fides nos retinere iubei"; "Humani Generis," 36). Consequently, theories of evolution which, in accordance with the philosophies inspiring them, consider the spirit as emerging from the forces of living matter or as a mere epiphenomenon of this matter, are incompatible with the truth about man. Nor are they able to ground the dignity of the person.
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So it seems to me that JPII is only rejecting those theories of evolution which would deny that man has a soul.
http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_jp02tc.htm
Last edited by On the other hand on Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:11 am; edited 1 time in total |
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