Stephen Hawking is a Lunatic

[Breathe]

I understood that it was an attempt at humor. I just didn't get the "twice-damned" reference.

It's a southern thing. Just a turn of phrase.

Why the "but"? They aren't independent ideas.

Hmmm...not sure if I can make my meaning clear, but so many fundamentalists mouth what they are taught, and don't really analyze it. "It's in the Bible, and my preacher says it means this, so I believe it unthinkingly" drives me nuts - but I have found that most pastors whose flocks follow this line of thinking are guilty of the same crimes - the lack of analytical and logical thought. They expect their congregations to accept concepts that they haven't spent a lot of time contemplating themselves.

Okay. I'd generally agree.

Good. I like it when people agree with me!

How was he trying to do this? Do you know this?

Mocking the ideas of someone who has more knowledge in their field than you do, simply because their beliefs run counter to your own, with the end goal of making yourself look good to your followers, counts as aggrandizement to me.

But isn't this what you're doing with his views and accomplishments (irrelevant what you feel about the scope of those accomplishments), since you don't share his view?

I'm not denigrating the accomplishments of Pastor Bob. As I stated earlier, saving souls is the most important thing one can do, in my POV. But he should talk about the things he's an authority on, instead of critiquing the knowledge of what is perhaps the best mind in physics. I haven't noticed Mr. Hawking ridiculing evangelism.
Just sayin'.

I won't go back and forth on this, since that would be pointless. It just seems you have a chip on your shoulder, so I thought I'd point it out in case you want to flick it off.

No chip - just my honest opinion.

 

[Breathe]

So, to criticize a person, one must first match all the achievements of the person in question?

Nope. I didn't say that. My response was not to criticism, but to ridicule.
This smiley:
:mock:
is appropriately named "mock" in the list. He mocked Hawking, without offering any criticism of his ideas on colonization or aliens.

Have you ever managed a long list of websites and created various forums? No? Well then you can't tell Knight he's wrong.

Seems pretty ridiculous, right?

Again - if thoughtful criticism would have been offered, another reply would have been proffered.

 

[GuySmiley]

Wow - hostile, much?
I do believe you just judged me.

I'm one of those twice-damned Calvinists. Run away fast, before you get corrupted.

No hostility, see I'm smiling Besides, its not like I had a choice right? :chuckle:

 

[Breathe]

No hostility, see I'm smiling Besides, its not like I had a choice right? :chuckle:

Eggzackly. You were destined to judge me, and I was destined to make you look silly.

(Just kidding. )

 

[GuySmiley]

Referring to the man as a "lunatic" shouldn't be related to an isolated incident, don'tcha think?

Why not?

Ahhhhhhh. Well there's the rub, Guy. Since by your own admission you're not sure what you're talking about maybe you can spend some time on this thread and elsewhere figuring out Hawking and what's actually being discussed here.

You seem lost. I specifically said what I was talking about. Bob claims that Hawking said we should colonize Mars and the Moon to escape global warming. It in the OP. You should read it. I don't know if Hawking actually said it. Thats different from not knowing the topic. If you were to show me that Hawking didn't say it, that would show that you are addressing the topic.

Could've fooled me.

Insert easy insult here.

Again: this kind of deep thinking is self-evident. Isn't it.

Since I'm slow, explain why colonizing Mars or the Moon is a good idea to escape global warming.

Remember, though, that we're not the ones who questioned this great man's intelligence. I took issue with those who have and did. Only because it's asinine in the extreme.

I don't know a lot about Hawking's work. But I've seen Bob claim that Hawking wants to colonize Mars or the Moon to escape global warming. He also apparently gave out a warning on a Discovery Channel show about how aliens are probably not nice, so we shouldn't go advertising our planet to them. I know a lot of really smart people who say and do dumb things. Hawking is probably great at certain subjects but those statements make him look silly.

Again, you've said yourself you're relying on hearsay, don't care about Hawking, and aren't sure what he exactly said. So unless you change your approach to the subject talking about how "you're wrong" would a) be the equivalent of a fifth grade sandbox stomp, and b) be as useful as Tesla explaining AC to an Assyrian.

No, showing where I'm wrong would be addressing the subject. And not only me, think of the glory that would come from showing Bob is wrong too. And its apparently so easy . . .

 

[The Berean]

Since my fellow TOLers are engaging in a game of snaps I'll talk about actually colonizing the Moon. What would it take to colonize the moon with a permanent human settlement? There are three difficult issues here.

1) Cost
2) material requirements
3) Power requirement

I'll skip 1) for now.

A permanent human lunar settlement would require permanent structures for people to live and work in. Also required would be manufacturing processes to create oxygen, building materials, and fuel for return space vehicles. These items could be brought from Earth but at an enormous expense. It would be so expensive that it wouldn't be economically viable at all. The lunar humans would have to create their own resources, "live off the land". There is much scientific and engineering work being done to create breathable oxygen, building materials, and rocket fuel at this time. Here's a nice research paper on human habitation of the Moon. For some good layman books on the lunar colonization click here and here.

As for power needs large solar panel structures could be laid out at the lunar poles so the solar panels would always be in direct sunlight.

 

[Breathe]

Since my fellow TOLers are engaging in a game of snaps I'll talk about actually colonizing the Moon. What would it take to colonize the moon with a permanent human settlement? There are three difficult issues here.

1) Cost
2) material requirements
3) Power requirement

I'll skip 1) for now.

A permanent human lunar settlement would require permanent structures for people to live and work in. Also required would be manufacturing processes to create oxygen, building materials, and fuel for return space vehicles. These items could be brought from Earth but at an enormous expense. It would be so expensive that it wouldn't be economically viable at all. The lunar humans would have to create their own resources, "live off the land". There is much scientific and engineering work being done to create breathable oxygen, building materials, and rocket fuel at this time. Here's a nice research paper on human habitation of the Moon. For some good layman books on the lunar colonization click here and here.

As for power needs large solar panel structures could be laid out at the lunar poles so the solar panels would always be in direct sunlight.

So it's not a lunatic idea, just one that needs some brilliant scientific research and good machinists?

Thanks for the links.

 

[Granite]

You seem lost. I specifically said what I was talking about. Bob claims that Hawking said we should colonize Mars and the Moon to escape global warming. It in the OP. You should read it. I don't know if Hawking actually said it. Thats different from not knowing the topic. If you were to show me that Hawking didn't say it, that would show that you are addressing the topic.

I realize that many of you assume global warming/climate change is some kind of myth or conspiracy but for me and others it's apparent that human activity is changing the landscape and environment of our planet in ways that are entirely unhealthy (and perhaps even unfeasible). With that in mind the idea that we may one day have to vacate the premises to guarantee we don't kill ourselves isn't crazy at all: it's a matter of simple survival.

I don't know a lot about Hawking's work. But I've seen Bob claim that Hawking wants to colonize Mars or the Moon to escape global warming.

Again, see above. I'd suggest as well you actually reading Hawking yourself, and if you continue to simply not care about what the man says or does, to stop posting in this thread, since it makes you look kind of clueless.

He also apparently gave out a warning on a Discovery Channel show about how aliens are probably not nice, so we shouldn't go advertising our planet to them.

Do you deliberately dumb things down, or something?

...think of the glory that would come from showing Bob is wrong too.

You're aware of activities such as shooting fish in a barrel, yes? With that said the idea that you're going to all this trouble to take up the defense of a monarchist is pretty straightforward.

 

[The Berean]

So it's not a lunatic idea, just one that needs some brilliant scientific research and good machinists?

Thanks for the links.

The basic technology already exists. Though no one has yet to come up with a device to create breathable oxygen from lunar regolith. But I believe it will exist within a few years. Another major bottleneck is that there is no current heavy lift vehicle to launch the initial supplies to the Moon. But that may well change with SpaceX's Falcon-9 heavy lift vehicle.

Here are some more links.

A guy out in Colorado is working on lunar concrete.

Caterpillar has been working on a lunar "earth moving" machinery. (Click on the lunar photo link). Though since cancellation of the Orion Project I'm not sure what Caterpiller will do with their research?

 

[GuySmiley]

I realize that many of you assume global warming/climate change is some kind of myth or conspiracy but for me and others it's apparent that human activity is changing the landscape and environment of our planet in ways that are entirely unhealthy (and perhaps even unfeasible). With that in mind the idea that we may one day have to vacate the premises to guarantee we don't kill ourselves isn't crazy at all: it's a matter of simple survival.

I think that surviving on a wrecked earth would be easier than survival on Mars or the Moon. Whatever kind of environmental shelter that would need to be built on the Moon or Mars would be even easier to build on Earth. Although it would make sense to avoid a total disaster kind of situation, like a huge asteroid.

Again, see above. I'd suggest as well you actually reading Hawking yourself, and if you continue to simply not care about what the man says or does, to stop posting in this thread, since it makes you look kind of clueless.

If you were to read one of his books, which would be the one?

Do you deliberately dumb things down, or something?

Many times I do, yes.

You're aware of activities such as shooting fish in a barrel, yes? With that said the idea that you're going to all this trouble to take up the defense of a monarchist is pretty straightforward.

He's a monarchist that I like. He does important work, and I think he's really smart. He's a nice guy also.

 

[Vaquero45]

You're aware of activities such as shooting fish in a barrel, yes?

That's hilarious granite, you get punked 11 times out of 10 when you call out Bob if anyone happens to lower their standards enough to bother responding to it. Don't let reality effect your perception or tactics tho', you keep fighting the fight!

 

[Nick M]

:yawn:

Ridiculing a man like Hawking might make Bob feel better but it's cheap, grotesque, and pathetic.

Whatever you do, don't address the claim of wanting to move to Mars to get away from a one degree incerase in temps. It is totaly insane to suggest it. Then again, you are a total reject of human kind.

 

[Granite]

I think that surviving on a wrecked earth would be easier than survival on Mars or the Moon.

What do you base this on? Is this another situation where you "think" you know what Hawking said and you "think" it's stupid?

Whatever kind of environmental shelter that would need to be built on the Moon or Mars would be even easier to build on Earth.

Depends on how badly we've managed to screw up the planet, wouldn't you say?

If you were to read one of his books, which would be the one?

Brief History is written for the layman and is very approachable. Good place to start.

He's a monarchist that I like. He does important work, and I think he's really smart. He's a nice guy also.

You know what you sound like? A kid with a crush.

 

[Granite]

That's hilarious granite, you get punked 11 times out of 10 when you call out Bob if anyone happens to lower their standards enough to bother responding to it. Don't let reality effect your perception or tactics tho', you keep fighting the fight!

Ummm, what?

 

[Quincy]

So, anyone here making fun of him care to share their experience from their life work as to why there can't be life out there? Care to disprove panspermia and the Rare Earth hypothesis for us? Can you prove humans are the pinnacle of all creation?

Bumped.

I'd still like to know what people who are opposed to his belief of life being out there think of the two reasons he believes it. I'm not trying to bait anyone, I'd really like to know if anyone has studied these theories and why they think the theories warrant mocking his belief.

 

[Granite]

Whatever you do, don't address the claim of wanting to move to Mars to get away from a one degree incerase in temps. It is totaly insane to suggest it. Then again, you are a total reject of human kind.

No, but you are bitter, and alone, and will remain that way for quite a long time.:cheers:

 

[Breathe]

Monday, May 17th @ 8:00 PM
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/stephen-hawking/
This week's show is about time travel.

 

[The Berean]

Monday, May 17th @ 8:00 PM
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/stephen-hawking/
This week's show is about time travel.

And Professor Hawking can play a mean poker hand. :think:

Poker Face!

 

[Breathe]

And Professor Hawking can play a mean poker hand. :think:

Poker Face!

lol - I love that clip.