Hawking and Sagan on God

[SoonerCoug]

Hawking's latest remarks about aliens inspired me to look up some youtube videos. I thought this was interesting and a good starting point for discussion:

[YOUTUBE]1cQI1dRvYvk[/YOUTUBE]

[woot]

As I'm sure many here have figured out, Sagan is one of my favorite humans ever. Still, I'm bothered by the way he occasionally used the word "god" to refer to things that have nothing to do with any sort of supernatural entity. He's following the tradition of Einstein, as is Hawking, as Sagan isn't as bad as either in this regard. All three made it very explicit elsewhere that they use the word in this very loose sense to refer to the laws of physics, but it still seems like unnecessary obfuscation or perhaps it betrays a willingness to be misunderstood by those who would quotemine them.

In the context of this forum, this video doesn't really give us much to work with if it's a religious discussion we're going to have. These men didn't/don't believe in god any more than I do.

[woot]

This might be relevant. Neil deGrasse Tyson was just asked what he would tell humanity if he had the chance to talk to everyone. Here's his response:

"I would tell them that the atoms of out bodies are traceable to stars that manufactured them in their cores and exploded these enriched ingredients across our galaxy, billions of years ago. For this reason, we are biologically connected to every other living thing in the world. We are chemically connected to all molecules on Earth. And we are atomically connected to all atoms in the universe. We are not figuratively, but literally stardust."

This is something he's said before, and a concept that featured prominently in the "Symphony of Science" youtube video awhile back. Sagan also talked about this quite a bit. It really is one of the more beautiful concepts in all of science.

[Jarid in Cedar]

This might be relevant. Neil deGrasse Tyson was just asked what he would tell humanity if he had the chance to talk to everyone. Here's his response:

"I would tell them that the atoms of out bodies are traceable to stars that manufactured them in their cores and exploded these enriched ingredients across our galaxy, billions of years ago. For this reason, we are biologically connected to every other living thing in the world. We are chemically connected to all molecules on Earth. And we are atomically connected to all atoms in the universe. We are not figuratively, but literally stardust."

This is something he's said before, and a concept that featured prominently in the "Symphony of Science" youtube video awhile back. Sagan also talked about this quite a bit. It really is one of the more beautiful concepts in all of science.

I like that. In fact, I just got a new sig line. Thanks.

[UtahDan]

I'm way late to the party, but I love Tyson and particularly Sagan as well. They are so well thought out, so non-confrontational. I heard that quote about being made of supernovae for the first time the other day. Blew my mind. Here is another Tyson quote I ran across today:

[TripletDaddy]

This thread now has a somewhat humorous subtext given recent revelations that Stephen Hawking regularly frequents sex clubs to get freaky with lap dancers.

I guess we know where he does his research for his theory on "top-down" cosmology.

[Indy Coug]

This thread now has a somewhat humorous subtext given recent revelations that Stephen Hawking regularly frequents sex clubs to get freaky with lap dancers.

But it does explain his perma-grin.

[Katy Lied]

Still, I'm bothered by the way he occasionally used the word "god" to refer to things that have nothing to do with any sort of supernatural entity.

Interesting. So you don't like the nickname for the god particle?

[lambdacoug]

[YOUTUBE]XGK84Poeynk[/YOUTUBE]

On my daughter's 5th grade back-to-school questionnaire, it asked who her idols/heros were. She listed Neil deGrasse Tyson and Carl Sagan.

Her teacher pulled me aside and told me that my daughter was the first 5th grader that had ever put down two scientists as idols/heros.