...Hawking contra Philosophy Christopher Norris presents a case for the defence. Stephen Hawking recently fluttered the academic dovecotes by writing in his new book The Grand Design – and repeating to an eager company of interviewers and journalists – that philosophy as practised nowadays is a waste of time and philosophers a waste of space. More precisely, he wrote that philosophy is ‘dead’ since it hasn’t kept up with the latest developments in science, especially theoretical physics. In earlier times – Hawking conceded – philosophers not only tried to keep up but sometimes made significant scientific contributions of their own. However they were now, in so far as they had any influence at all, just an obstacle to progress through their endless going-on about the same old issues of truth, knowledge, the problem of induction, and so forth. Had philosophers just paid a bit more attention to the scientific literature they would have gathered that these were no longer live issues for anyone remotely au fait with the latest thinking. Then their options would be either to shut up shop and cease the charade called ‘philosophy of science’ or else to carry on and invite further ridicule for their head-in-the-sand attitude. Predictably enough the journalists went off to find themselves media-friendly philosophers – not hard to do nowadays – who would argue the contrary case in a suitably vigorous way. On the whole the responses, or those that I came across, seemed overly anxious to strike...
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...Stephen Hawking is concidered by many a scientific genius of living and still working today. Most legends are made when people die and when Stephen does die he will become a legend. Until then he is a leaving breathing genius. He hasn’t had it as easy as most but has done well combating his many struggles through life. Desoite all of these troubles Stephen Hawking has been able to rise above and has been a valuable part of the physics and cosmotology studies we have had on this planet. With all of his struggles and triumphs, Stephen Hawking has had along history and a lot of time has been dedicated to finding answers to some of the questions we ask but would take a genius to answer and research. Stephen Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, at the end of World War II. He was born in Oxford, England but his family didn’t live there originally. They moved there due to the war because it was supposedly a safer place to have a child. His father was a researcher of tropical medicine so research and studies were in his genes. His father was hoping he would follow in his footsteps but all Stephen wanted to do was be a mathmetician. Needless to say, Stephen and his family stayed in Oxford and that’s where he grew up. Stephen entered Oxford University in 1959 to study mathematics primarily. He was a very bright student in which case e didn’t have to work very hard in school. He was very social and Oxford proved to be little challenge for him. He even took up sports by joining the...
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...Stephen Hawking is a Man of Courage Men and women across the globe have faced adversity; many have cowered in fear, while few have stood strong and demonstrated what can only be described as courage. Stephen Hawking has faced Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) with great courage to become one of today's brilliant scientific minds. His brain is the only muscle that has been unaffected by the ailment. This great metaphorical strength is the ideal definition of courage. ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement (www.biography.com). The disease is terminal, and has yet to have a cure. In Stephen’s case, he was diagnosed at age 21 while studying Cosmology at the University of Cambridge. Mr. Hawking’s parents, Frank and Isobel Hawking, pushed him to pursue medicine as his field of study. As a child he knew he often stared at the stars in wonder and went against his parent’s first choice. His educational achievements have been constant and prosperous. He currently holds a PhD in physics and 12 honorary degrees in theoretical cosmology and quantum gravity. Attaining such an education in the face of adversity shows his true strength and courage as a human being. Stephen’s long list of achievements, whether they be academic or scientific, are a display of great courage and mental strength that should be emulated...
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...“b” = 1 sentence). In the topic sentence you should clearly identify the topic being discussed. A sample topic sentence would look something like: Martin Luther King Jr.’s worldview can be seen in how he views the issue of family. * Write a Conclusion of 3-5 sentences to wrap up the purpose of the outline. In this paragraph you should explicitly state why you do or do not consider the individual you wrote about to be a role model. * Write your References in GCU style: These should be three academic references that you will use and cite throughout your paper on the final draft. * Total word count for this document should be 400-650 words. I) Worldview of Role Model: Stephen Hawking is an objectively defined Atheist. II) Introduction: Stephen Hawking is a theoretical physicist and a professor at the University of Cambridge. He is one that is respected for his groundbreaking reach on the study of the universe as whole....
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...Most patients with ALS—also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, for the famous baseball player who succumbed to the disease—are diagnosed after the age of 50 and die within five years of their diagnosis. Hawking's condition was first diagnosed when he was 21, and he was not expected to see his 25th birthday.Jan 7, 2012 Last year, British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking hinted at research he and a couple of colleagues were working on that could solve the infamous black hole information paradox, which states that information about matter that gets destroyed by a black hole, according to Einstein's general theory of relativity, is ...Jan 11, 2016 Hawking has a rare early-onset slow-progressing form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis...
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...CWV-101 Role Model Review Most people know Stephen Hawking as a top scientist in cosmology with the neuro-muscular disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as ALS. Many people may confuse Hawking to be an atheist but when it comes to his actual worldview he is and has been a strongly committed Naturalist. (Smith 2002) Hawking does not have the ability to walk or speak since his mid 20’s so his worldview is shown through his writing and life choices. I will cover the way he views the nature of God, his career, and family and how those areas of his life compare with my own beliefs and worldview. Hawking’s worldview when it comes to the nature of God is evident in his written works. In A Brief History of Time his theology is contrasted against Christian theism. The literary work focuses on his understanding of the laws that govern the universe. He concludes the universe was neither created nor destroyed; but just is a continuous form that has always been in place of its own power or ability. (Paradowski 2010). This theory assumes that the universe can create itself out of nothing, and God is no longer necessary when addressing the creation of the universe. Instead of a Christian base divine creation of the universe he advocates that it was uncreated, based on a theory of quantum gravity. Time is a relevant and driving factor in his explanations to the forming of the universe and many of his ideas. "Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing...
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...as a genius of the Western culture. Through his disability I believe Stephen Hawking has stood out as a genius of our Western culture. Even with being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, he has provided ground breaking work in cosmology and physics. He has written several different books to allow science more attainable to the average person. Stephen Hawking was the oldest of four children, born to Frank and Isobel Hawking on the 8th of January, 1942 in Oxford England. He was born on the 300th anniversary of the death of Galileo. This has been a large source of pride for Hawking. He was born into a smart family his mother was one of the first female students at Oxford University. His father was also a graduate of Oxford, being a well known researcher of medicine, his specialty in tropical diseases. The birth of Stephen came at a bad time to his parents, for they had little money and was during World War II. Stephen’s father was hoping he would follow his steps and research medicine, but from an early age Stephen showed more interest in the sky and science. In his early academic life, Stephen was seen as a bright child but was not an exceptional student. He was more interested in things outside of school. He enjoyed board games and even constructed a computer out of recycled parts to solve rudimentary mathematical equations. At the age of 17 he enrolled into Oxford University. Stephen finally told his father he did not want to study medicine and instead...
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...Without a type of struggle in one person’s life, they are not actually living life. There is a strong agreement in Horace's assertion about the role of adversity playing in one’s life. Stephen Hawkings is a theoretical physicist and a cosmologist, he is also one of the most respected, but he did not earn this title overnight. Hawkings struggled for years trying to come up and get people to believe in the discoveries he found and theories created. In Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood,” Capote narrated the story of the investigation on the murder of the Clutter family and how detectives struggle with trying to find the perpetrators, but a report helped with a break in the case and lead to a conviction. In Toni Morrison’s “Sula,”a young girl who grows into a woman has to face the hatred and distrust from the people of her own community....
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...Conner Dierksen 11-5-13 CHPA Mrs. Ludaul Rough draft period 1 Lou Gehrigs Disease (ALS) The name of my Disease is Lou Gehrigs Disease or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS for short a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis affects the nerve system and causes you to go paralyze and not move. What happens is that the motor neutrons die and you lose all control of your muscles and you cannot move your muscles and then you are paralyze until you die of (ALS).In the next Paragraph I will tell you of the symptoms what you will see if you have (ALS).This is the name of my disease and I hope that this Gave you some information on (ALS). Some of the early sighs of (ALS) are that muscle weakness in one or more of the following: hands, arms, legs or the muscles of speech, swallowing or breathing are some of the early symptoms .Some more of the symptoms are twitching and cramping of muscles; especially those in the hands and feet itch are some more of the symptoms. The most common impairment of the use of the arms and legs, and thick speech and difficulty in projecting the voice. The most advanced symptoms are shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and swallowing. These are the symptoms of ALS. In the next paragraph I will who discovered this disease And how it was discovered. Jean Marie Charcot noted the first reports of ALS in 1874, and named the fatal...
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...calendar, and we might not last much longer (Bennett, 2014). Even world renown physicist Steven Hawking has placed an expiration date on the human species. Steven Hawking has given us 100 to 200 more years to live out our last years unless we start branching out and inhabiting other planets. Hawking even went so far as to say, “If we can avoid disaster for the next two centuries, our species should be safe as we spread into space (Cosmic Log, 2010).” It is no secret that our planet’s temperature is slowly rising and that humans have the power to eradicate all life on earth with nuclear weapons. If we don’t die of nuclear warfare, or of global warming, an asteroid or nearby supernova just might do the trick (Big Think, 2015). Many, many scientists and space enthusiast have come to the same conclusion that we have all of our eggs in one planetary basket, and that we need to spread them out amongst other planets if we ever hope to outlast the dinosaurs on the cosmic calendar (Cosmic Log, 2010). References Bennett, J. O. (2014). The Cosmic Perspective. In J. O. Bennett, The Cosmic Perspective (p. 14). San Francisco: James Smith. Big Think. (2015). #5: Stephen Hawking's Warning: Abandon Earth - Or Face Extinction. Retrieved from Big Think: http://bigthink.com/dangerous-ideas/5-stephen-hawkings-warning-abandon-earth-or-face-extinction Cosmic Log. (2010, August 9). Stephen Hawking: Off Earth by 2110? Retrieved from NBC News:...
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...paper letter; webcams, paired with communication programs such as Skype, iChat or Google Video Chat, make it possible to see the person you are speaking with rather than just hear his voice. Doing Business The same technological advances have simplified and improved personal communication. Companies can expand beyond their local market and gain a wider customer base simply by maintaining an active online presence. Overcoming Disabilities Technology has both improved communication for disabled people. Hearing aids boost the hearing of partially deaf people, making it easier to understand speech. Devices give people with severe speech impairments a way to express themselves: perhaps the most famous user of such a device is scientist Stephen Hawking. Reaching a Broader Audience As people's ability to communicate improves, the reach of their messages widens. For instance, photos and video recorded covertly through a cell phone can be quickly and easily shared online through websites such as YouTube. How technology changed communication? * Bad grammar habits abound in the age of e-mail and texting. * With the younger generation using cell phones more and more, experts say they may be losing essential skills. * This doesn't mean you should completely stop, the more important it is to communicate in...
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...Jacob Binkley Problem Solving Module 3 Analysis Futuring Exercises Making a telephone call in the year 2020 I see people in the year 2020 using telephone to make calls in new ways. By that year, I expect people to completely redesign the hardware and interface of cellphones. I see the physical devices being reduced to projection instruments placed in certain devices, like a wristband, that projects the user interface onto the subjects arm. The user could the control the device with voice commands or physically touching the area the image is displayed. This would allow devices to be used while swimming or any situation that involves water. I also see them beginning to tweak the software that Stephen Hawking uses to control his computer, and implementing it into cellular devices. This would allow people with physical disabilities to use and operate a cell phone by subtle gestures of the face, eyes, and neck. This would give them the ability to communicate with words if they cannot already. Eating a family meal in 2050 I see families in 2050 eating and enjoying healthy, natural, and organic foods. I see todays American youth realizing how unhealthy we are as a society, and how malnourished our foods actually are. They will realize the things we can do to take care of our bodies, and the benefits of healthy eating. Todays youth is tomorrows parents and leaders, and they will change the ways of American society very drastically as soon as they take power. I see them starting...
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...Title: What’s In Your Glass? Topic: The Opposition of Artificial Intelligence Method of organization: Refutative Specific Purpose: My specific purpose of this speech is to encourage those who oppose artificial intelligence to see the good that can be done with this technology. Thesis: In this presentation I hope to explain the opposition that artificial intelligence faces, show examples of successful uses of AI, and challenge those opposed to this technology to consider a change of position. Introduction: I’m sure that most of you have seen the movie I, Robot, or perhaps The Matrix. Both are very popular movies and both contain an antagonist in the form of an artificial intelligence system that sees destruction and chaos as a necessary evil for the evolution of the world. However, these stories are works of fiction. So why does the mention of artificial intelligence conjure scenes of destruction like we just watched? Many of us take a pessimistic view when asked about AI. Today I want to explain to you the biggest fear associated with artificial intelligence, share examples of this technology that is already in successful use, and describe why you should support the development of artificial intelligence. I.) Having already mentioned a few movies that seem to give very negative connotations to the use of artificial intelligence, let’s begin by looking at one of the biggest oppositions facing artificial intelligence, the argument against singularity. ...
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...a) Explain the moral issues surrounding euthanasia. Euthanasia is a painless, peaceful and lucid death who some agree to be moral while others consider the complex issues surrounding the procedure. These issues include religious perspectives such as the sanctity of life argument and concern for quality of life, autonomy and personhood. The sanctity of life proposal stands strong for those who adopt Judaeo-Christian values because they believe that God is the only one who can take or give life because he has created all humans imago dei (Genesis 1:27). It builds on this idea that life is sacred and holy and that “everything that happens in this world happens at the times God chooses” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). Of course, the ultimate Christian belief is found in the Decalogue, Exodus 20:13 “Thou shall not kill”, an objective and uncompromising law. Therefore, if a doctor were to conduct voluntary euthanasia he would be destroying Gods creation and taking a holy life of which he has no right to take irrespective of whether that person has asked to die. Natural law accepts this stance of euthanasia because it also adopts a very Catholic position and would reject euthanasia because it violates the primary precepts (don’t die and worship God). These are absolutes that should not be broken and consequently cannot take into account certain circumstances such as those in terminally ill health. Cases such as Dianne Pretty would be denied her autonomy and right to make her own decision...
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...with the quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position. INTRODUCTION: - Everyone wants to obtain success - Hard work is the most important factor bringing success, but we can’t deny the role of luck BODY - Success is not for one who is lazy and never wants to try, or someone depending too much on others. These people easily get failures - Hard working people: + Be confident in themselves, dedicated to their work => efficient people => succeed. Ex: If a student wants to pass the exam, he will have to study hard + Experience difficulties, know how to overcome obstacles => become independent, more determined. Try to make dream come true, have more motivation for success + Example: Stephen Hawking, almost completely paralyzed and mute, has many space researches. Author of bestseller “A brief history of time” (1988). Make a flight into space, achive zero grativity in 2007 - Luck: + In some way, help you establish successful achievements Example: You graduated from a famous University but were not shortlisted for the job vacancies at a big company. At that time your friend invited you to work in his company => Lucky => cornerstone for future success + If one doesn’t know how to keep or develop his luck => fail completely after all. Luck then becomes useless + Can’t control luck, so don’t depend entirely on luck CONCLUSION 99% of the achivement is because of hard work and the remaining 1% is because of intelligence...
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