Heaven is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark, the eminent British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking said in an interview published on Monday。
Hawking, 69, was expected to die within a few years of being diagnosed with degenerative motor neurone disease at the age of 21, but became one of the world's most famous scientists with the publication of his 1988 book "A Brief History of Time."
"I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first," he told the Guardian newspaper。
"I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark."
When asked how we should live he said: "We should seek the greatest value of our action."
Hawking gave the interview ahead of the Google Zeitgeist meeting in London where he will join speakers including British finance minister George Osborne and Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz。
Addressing the question "Why are we here?" he will argue tiny quantum fluctuations in the very early universe sowed the seeds of human life。
The former Cambridge University Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a post once also held by Isaac Newton, has a history of drawing criticism for his comments on religion。
His 2010 book "The Grand Design" provoked a backlash among religious leaders, including chief rabbi Lord Sacks, for arguing there was no need for a divine force to explain the creation of the universe。
As a result of his incurable illness Hawking can only speak through a voice synthesizer and is almost completely paralyzed。
He sparked serious concerns in 2009 when he was hospitalized after falling seriously ill following a lecture tour in the United States but has since returned to Cambridge University as a director of research。
英国著名理论物理学家史蒂芬•霍金在本周一刊登的一次采访中称,天堂是“为害怕黑暗的人编造的童话”。
霍金在21岁时被诊断患有退行性运动神经元病,当时预期寿命不长,但如今他已年届69岁,1988年出版《时间简史》后跻身全球最著名科学家之列。
他告诉《卫报》记者:“过去49年我一直觉得自己活不长。我不怕死,但我也不想死太早。我还有那么多要做的事情。”
“我把大脑看成一个计算机,零件坏了之后就会停止工作。对坏掉的电脑来说,根本没有天堂和来世,那是给怕黑的人编的童话。”
当被问及我们应如何生活时他说:“我们应寻求自身的最大价值。”
霍金参加在伦敦举行的谷歌排行榜会议前接受了此次采访。将在此次会议上发言的还有英国财政大臣乔治•奥斯本、诺贝尔奖经济学奖获得者约瑟夫•斯蒂格利茨等人。
在回答“人类为什么会存在”这一问题时,霍金称宇宙形成初期的微小量子波动为人类的出现播下了“种子”。
霍金之前的言论屡次招致宗教界的批评。他曾担任剑桥大学卢卡斯数学教授。艾萨克•牛顿也曾担任这一职务。
他在2010年出版的《伟大的设计》一书中提出,宇宙的存在不需要上帝去解释,遭到宗教领袖的猛烈抨击,其中包括(英国犹太人教会领袖)首席拉比萨克斯勋爵。
由于身患无法治愈的疾病,霍金只能通过语音合成器讲话,而且几乎全身瘫痪。
2009年,霍金在美国巡回演讲时曾大病一场,被送往医院,引起了人们的担忧。此后他重返剑桥大学,担任研究主管。
上一篇: 几款名片设计上的创意
下一篇: 快来看看自己的睡姿是否正确?
国际英语资讯:German industry welcomes Brexit delay but warns against complacency
星巴克又有重大表态,男女工资必须一样
再见北上广!2019年大学生就业报告发布,毕业生正流向二线城市
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Indian PM Modi seeks 2nd term but faces fierce competition
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier meets former U.S. treasury secretary Henry Paulson
体坛英语资讯:Half a million fans to give Champions League winners a heroes welcome Sunday
国内英语资讯:Xi receives Crown Order from Tajik President Rahmon
Would You Like to Study Abroad After College Education? 大学毕业后你愿意出国深造吗?
体坛英语资讯:World No. 1 Osakas French Open trip concluded in third round
国内英语资讯:Xi urges joint efforts to open up new prospects for Asian security, development
体坛英语资讯:Ghana Black Queens captain Elizabeth Addo joins Jiangsu Suning
国内英语资讯:Beijing new airport subway line starts test run
亚马逊要效仿苹果推出AirPods
特朗普:美国要对110亿美元欧盟产品加征关税
国内英语资讯:Chinese envoy calls for efforts to boost womens participation in peacekeeping
Confidence Brings Chance 自信带来机会
社交媒体与青少年焦虑
体坛英语资讯:Israeli goalkeeper Hayak becomes Guinness oldest active soccer player
国际英语资讯:Estonia, Denmark to strengthen bilateral ties
国内英语资讯:China, Tajikistan agree to deepen ties for common prosperity
国内英语资讯:Rare seals released to sea in NE China
体坛英语资讯:Warriors star Durant expected to return midway through Finals
2008 Back in 2008 回顾
人体发现的蛋白质或能抑制艾滋病病毒
美国28%成年人依然住在父母家,其中28%没工作
体坛英语资讯:Indonesia to host international boxing tournament this year
女顾客穿10万美金衣服去H&M购物,竟毫无违和感
特朗普:不会恢复在墨西哥边境分离移民家庭的政策
国际英语资讯:Interview: Los Angeles expects more Chinese visitors, says industry insider
体坛英语资讯:Barbosa fires Flamengo to second place