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[space] Stephen Hawking in His Own Words: Origin of the Universe

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by mrk, 11 Sep 2009.

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    11 Sep 2009 at 14:42
      #1
  1. mrk

    Man of Honour

    Joined: 18 Oct 2002

    Posts: 86,863

    Location: South Coast

    Many of us like space and anything to do with space so here's a very nice writeup on a lecture held by Hawking explaining a hell of a lot of stuff about the universe in a easy to digest way.

    Extract:
    Full article from source

    Mind still blown? :p
     
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    2. 11 Sep 2009 at 14:47
      #2
  2. Goldy

    Wise Guy

    Joined: 30 Mar 2004

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    Location: West Wing

    I'm a big fan of Hawking. Brief History of Time was just amazing. Favourite quote of his from the book is: 'why does the Universe go to all the bother of existing?' He basically realises that science cannot provide an answer to this.

    Btw, your source is about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, is that right?
     
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    3. 11 Sep 2009 at 14:49
      #3
  3. mrk

    Man of Honour

    Joined: 18 Oct 2002

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    It's an awesome question I guess, I mean what purpose does the universe have for existing? it's a mind blowing question (sorry to repeat!).
     
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    4. 11 Sep 2009 at 14:53
      #4
  4. bam0

    Soldato

    Joined: 28 Oct 2002

    Posts: 5,014

    Not to put too fine a point on it, but why does there need to be a purpose?
     
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    5. 11 Sep 2009 at 14:55
      #5
  5. Goldy

    Wise Guy

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    To refine your point even more;

    Why?
     
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    6. 11 Sep 2009 at 14:55
      #6
  6. mrk

    Man of Honour

    Joined: 18 Oct 2002

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    There doesn't but if you look around you'll see that every single thing within the universe has a purpose once formed so it's only fair to assume that the universe itself has a purpose, surely? But then if the universe itself has a purpose that would indicate it in itself is part of a larger structure where this purpose comes from and then there's that structure itself, what purpose does that have? a structure beyond that structure maybe?


    But then what p.....:D
     
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    7. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:07
      #7
  7. bam0

    Soldato

    Joined: 28 Oct 2002

    Posts: 5,014

    Everything has a purpose? I'd disagree. All things have a function, inherent to their nature. Purpose implies some kind of cognitive ability, which clearly not everything has.
     
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    8. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:09
      #8
  8. SideWinder

    Consigliere

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    Reminds me of Palin's watch...if that is his name...about everything having a purpose in life.
     
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    9. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:10
      #9
  9. Sankari

    Caporegime

    Joined: 29 Dec 2007

    Posts: 26,439

    Location: Adelaide, South Australia

    The discovery of the cosmic microwave background, and observations of black holes, support these conclusions!

    Paley. :)
     
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    10. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:15
      #10
  10. SlyReaper

    Soldato

    Joined: 26 Apr 2008

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    Location: Bristol, Old Blighty

    Counter example: wasps. What purpose do those vile creatures known as wasps serve? Another one: tapeworms. What purpose do they serve?
     
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    11. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:16
      #11
  11. SideWinder

    Consigliere

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    I should of Wiki'd it! :o
     
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    12. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:18
      #12
  12. SideWinder

    Consigliere

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    13. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:18
      #13
  13. Hunders

    Mobster

    Joined: 6 Jan 2006

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    Location: Plymouth

    What purpose do humans serve?

    EDIT: Is the link in the OP actually working for anyone else? All it leads me to is some pictures from the trade tower collapse.
     
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    14. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:20
      #14
  14. edscdk

    Soldato

    Joined: 17 Jul 2008

    Posts: 7,026

    what? thats mad, there is no purpose, the sun is not there to warm the earth or to have things orbiting it.. its just there it has no purpose... things happen to orbit it because of the laws of physics... we happen to be the right distance from it for life to exist...

    unless you mean purpose in some sence I do not get?
     
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    15. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:22
      #15
  15. Goldy

    Wise Guy

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    The question isn't intended to be answered with words.
     
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    16. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:24
      #16
  16. mrk

    Man of Honour

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    I didn't mean on earth directly because what is on earth has no bearing on how the universe works, we're merely a spec, if even that. I meant as within the universe - as in comets, asteroids, stars, galaxies etc - they all have some kind of purpose don't they, be it to deposit ingredients that could start life on a planet's surface or to bring end to extinction to another.

    The sun had no purpose, it now has a purpose because of our solar system forming and it itself from a totally random series of events (which is what the universe is) it's purpose (I guess you could say function...maybe purpose is too strong a word...) now is to keep our solar system running for the next few billion years.

    Edit*

    I guess we take the words purpose and function in different light :p
     
    Last edited: 11 Sep 2009
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    17. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:34
      #17
  17. Sankari

    Caporegime

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    I studied Paley at university, so I didn't need Wiki.

    :cool:
     
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    18. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:47
      #18
  18. Fenris

    Sgarrista

    Joined: 3 Feb 2009

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    Location: Brighton, UK.

    The Duck Billed Platypus.


    Stumped now aren't ya.
     
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    19. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:49
      #19
  19. Davepen

    Wise Guy

    Joined: 18 Feb 2009

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    Location: Midlands

    To be honest, the whole premise of existence, the universe and space, just utterly bowls me over.

    I have no doubt in my mind that other intelligent life exists somewhere out there... I just don't know if we will ever find out about it in our life times.

    Also, space is infinite right? HOW?!!?!
    I need to understand! :mad:
     
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    20. 11 Sep 2009 at 15:55
      #20
  20. semi-pro waster

    Man of Honour

    Joined: 27 Sep 2004

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    It shows that God has a sense of humour, that's a perfectly good purpose isn't it? ;)

    Although being slightly more serious I'm not sure that everything has a purpose in the sense that we think of as having a guiding intelligence creating it or guiding it in a direction. It is quite possible for some things to exist simply because they exist or to put it another way they might exist purely because there is nothing that has stopped them existing i.e. if you have enough potential inputs then all possibilities could eventually occur.
     
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