Stephen Hawking Quotes about Philosophy

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I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.

I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.

Stephen Hawking

Life, Change, Philosophy

Stephen W. Hawking (1993). “Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays”, Bantam

It surprises me how disinterested we are today about things like physics, space, the universe and philosophy of our existence, our purpose, our final destination. Its a crazy world out there. Be curious.

Stephen Hawking

Philosophy, Crazy, Space

If what we regard as real depends on our theory, how can we make reality the basis of our philosophy? But we cannot distinguish what is real about the universe without a theory. It makes no sense to ask if it corresponds to reality, because we do not know what reality is independent of a theory.

Stephen Hawking

Philosophy, Real, Independent

"Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays". Book by Stephen Hawking, 1993.

One might think this means that imaginary numbers are just a mathematical game having nothing to do with the real world. From the viewpoint of positivist philosophy, however, one cannot determine what is real. All one can do is find which mathematical models describe the universe we live in. It turns out that a mathematical model involving imaginary time predicts not only effects we have already observed but also effects we have not been able to measure yet nevertheless believe in for other reasons. So what is real and what is imaginary? Is the distinction just in our minds?

Stephen Hawking

Philosophy, Real, Believe

"The Universe in a Nutshell". Book by Stephen Hawking, 2001.