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British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking says he rejects the idea of heaven or an afterlife, calling the belief a "fairy story" for people afraid of dying.
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"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," he added.
-- Douglas Stanglin for USA Today
For my part, I wistfully entertain the idea of heaven not so much because I am afraid of death, but because I am afraid of never knowing true and full happiness. I feel deeply that we should be happy sometime, and I personally cannot see that kind of happiness in the world as we know it.
Oh, this life of mine has its satisfactions, but I don't think I've ever known true happiness, which might even be a fairytale in itself, save perhaps for new lovers, who I imagine might know such sweetness for a time.
...
"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," he added.
-- Douglas Stanglin for USA Today
For my part, I wistfully entertain the idea of heaven not so much because I am afraid of death, but because I am afraid of never knowing true and full happiness. I feel deeply that we should be happy sometime, and I personally cannot see that kind of happiness in the world as we know it.
Oh, this life of mine has its satisfactions, but I don't think I've ever known true happiness, which might even be a fairytale in itself, save perhaps for new lovers, who I imagine might know such sweetness for a time.
