by gwolf » Fri Sep 03, 2010 1:53 am
Alright then. Just to get this out somewhere.
Hawkings theory is basically that the laws of physics as they are understood now allow for spontaneous universal generation, which also includes other universes. Now I'm palaeontologist, not physicist, but I do see issues, mostly around correctness and constancy. The latter, the assumption that the current physical laws have been constant through time (iffy concept there, time, another discussion) and space (given the scale of the universe we may simply be experiencing the physics of our "section" but we simply can't comprehend any shift due to the fact our little section is beyond human comprehension in scale). The former, the assumption we're right about physics. I find, as someone involved in science, that we have an enormous arrogance about our scientific knowledge. Every generation has thought it understood thing. Then as we learned more, each subsequent generation thought its new understanding MUST be the correct one. Considering how much of physics certainly is based wholly on theory, intelligent theory but theory nonetheless, it is not only possible but plausible that we have gotten an enormous number of things wrong. I would also point out that if a physicist wants to use the existing laws as disproof of God, he can. Objectivity in science is an illusion, and no matter how much they step back, every scientist will have at least on some level a subjective element in his or her methods and what information they garner from it.
I've yet to honestly see a strong scientific argument disproving God or Gods. I read the God delusion...all he did was say evolution is great and religion is evil. Evolution is neither good or bad and to view religion as "evil" is to be wholly subjective. Found the whole book to be a bit of an ego trip to be honest.
My own beliefs? Don't have any as until someone tells me what the evidence for God is, they cannot disprove or prove it to me, therefore I am not atheist, theist or agnostic. Just me. I refuse to limit myself to an uninformed opinion. I'll worry about that when I'm dead.
I probably won't read the book, because I simply don't care. Physics, metaphysics and theology (although I'm sure the god thing is a very very minor element in the book) don't interest me. But I will say, at least Hawkings knows how to talk to people about these things. I find it refreshing.