Kurari Posted June 28, 2012 Posted June 28, 2012 I'm probably committing a major taboo here in the atheist community, but I feel the need to say it: I don't care where the universe came from. I don't understand physics. I think it's boring as hell. I'm happy of course there have been and still are lots of other people in this world who do love it and understand it, and they are doing great work studying it...Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Issac Newton, and so on. I admire these people for being able to grasp something I can barely fathom and for questioning. Those are values that I hold in high standard. But damned if I can stay awake when I'm hearing about it. Inevitably, it seems like the first question that comes up whenever a Christian finds out I'm an atheist is, "Well where do you think the world came from? Hunh?" Frankly, I don't give a shit. I don't know where the world or the universe came from and I am not really interested in knowing how it did. I don't care if it was a big bang or made in 7 days by a deity or it's floating on the back of a giant turtle. Knowledge of cosmogenesis is NOT an component to how I live my life. I can see why it would be to a Christian or another religious sort, but for an atheist, it's just another topic that people are studying. It doesn't mean I have to just in order to live a good life. So, there, I said it. I'm taking an intellectual dump and admitting I'm not interested in learning a particular subject. Hope you all have a great day! 3
Guest Valk0010 Posted June 28, 2012 Posted June 28, 2012 No worries. I for example find physics way more interesting then most of philosophy. Sometimes you are who you are.
Kaiser01 Posted June 28, 2012 Posted June 28, 2012 I could never do the math part, its the theoretical concepts that i love about physics. I cant be happy living without understanding as much of the universe as possible.
freeasabird Posted June 28, 2012 Posted June 28, 2012 I couldn't agree with you more. One does not have to have advanced degrees in biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy to reject religion. Sure it helps, but not necessary at all. Nor do you need a degree in theology to reject it. The bible crumbles under its own weight.
TrailBlazer Posted June 28, 2012 Posted June 28, 2012 Intellectual diversity; one of the beauties of human development. And as long as we're admitting to intellectual downfalls: I don't care for mathematics, politics, or fictional literature. To each his own.
RankStranger Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Don't worry- physics cares about you. I care quite a bit about physics, math, and things like that. But when it comes to astrophysics, The Big Bang, questions about first cause, etc.- I don't really care either. I guess I care enough to watch it on the science channel or something, but that's about it. IMO, the calculations are so abstract, the time in question is so remote, and the scale involved so unimaginable, that anything they come up with will be an educated guess at best. I think it's a fun excercise (for somebody) to try and figure out how the universe came about. And it's a pursuit that generates lots of useful questions for proving and/or refining bigass (and useful) theories like relativity and quantum mechanics (I don't claim to fully or even mostly understand either of those). And IMO it's a HELL of a lot better approach than the religious crowd takes if you're really looking for the truth of the matter. But I don't 'believe' their conclusions about the Big Bang or the like in any concrete sense. I just think of it as the best theory going. Even fundamental theory like Newtonian physics has been replaced/superceded in time. The same could very well happen with relativity and the like some day- though probably not in my lifetime.
Vigile Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Physics makes my brain bleed but I still find it almost infinitely fascinating. I wish it came easier to me. As it stands, I'm forced to settle for watching documentaries about Einstein as opposed to reading books about quantum mechanics. Even Hawking's dumbed down book hurt my head and I had to re-read and re-read paragraph after paragraph in order to get where he was going with it.
pratt Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 ok,,, i care about physics, only if DIRECTLY affects the well being of fellow being in real terms or REAL near future (not 100 years from now or so) i would be concern about ultra violet rays causing cancer or solar flare affecting flights or tsunamis,,,,,, i would not be concern at all at the birth of a new universe (besides looking at the pictures), or if the milky way will end 2 billion years from now,,,,,,
Legion Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I'm probably committing a major taboo here in the atheist community, but I feel the need to say it: I don't care where the universe came from. Neither do I. And I believe we will one day look back on contemporary cosmology and chuckle.
Inqui Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I'm similar to OP. I do enjoy a bit of physics, but it's very easy for me to be overdosed in the stuff. Like, VERY easy. If we do one day find out how everything came into existence, I'd love to find out but only in a way that can be described in a sentence or two. With electricity, for example, I'm happy with "energy runs from here to here along wires" as an explanation. Not that I don't find it interesting, but anything more than that and I'll get more increasingly to switch off (pun not intended, I just realised that). Come to think of it, I'm like that with most sciences. I really like knowing stuff, as long as it's kept simple.
MrsRoper Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I love your OP. I bought "A Brief History of Time" back in 1995 and still haven't cracked the binding. I think I finally donated it to my local library. My friend said he made an easier to read book called, "A Briefer History of TIme," I may check that out. I put a bunch of science docs in my Netflix que because I feel woefully under educated in that area. But every time I watch one I FALL ASLEEP! LOL It's a great insomnia tool. I actually regret not taking Physics in HS because I did that typical American girl thing where once I got to HS I didn't apply myself in science and math. And frankly, sometimes I regret not working a little harder and just sticking with what came easy to me. I think it's good to be well-rounded. Actually hoping to learn some stuff while my kids go through school. I am hoping they'll do better than their father and I, but we are both creative liberal arts people, so I'm not sure. On another note, Stephen Hawking is a STUD: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2106025/Stephen-Hawking-visits-California-swingers-sex-club.html
Adam5 Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 easier to read book called, "A Briefer History of TIme," I may check that out. Yes, that is a much better read. Couldnt read the first one.
MrsRoper Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 easier to read book called, "A Briefer History of TIme," I may check that out. Yes, that is a much better read. Couldnt read the first one. I need one of my nerd friend's to tutor me. I was like, teach me physics and I'll teach you the bible!! LOL Not a fair trade off.
Super Moderator florduh Posted June 29, 2012 Super Moderator Posted June 29, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5taPhvqbXE
RankStranger Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I'm probably committing a major taboo here in the atheist community, but I feel the need to say it: I don't care where the universe came from. Neither do I. And I believe we will one day look back on contemporary cosmology and chuckle. I agree with your statement. Though I suspect I would disagree with your reasoning behind the statement.
ConureDelSol Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 In my case, I'm always watching documentaries and television episodes detailing how the universe works and explaining theoretical concepts in everyday language. My mom can't stand it because she's like some of you in that she falls asleep watching them. Now do I want to actually get into the nitty gritty mathematical part of physics (or Gawd-forbid...QUANTUM physics?!)? Absolutely not. I cannot even begin to fathom how Stephen Hawking could actually provide a mathematical equation that somehow proves that some information disappears when sucked into a black hole. On the other hand, I'm a huge sci-fi nut (I have the Enterprise-A tattooed on my arm, along with the seal of the Federation of Planets) and I love hearing about the concept of black holes really being a way to bring material into other universes, wormholes, the life cycles of stars, the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe...and I also have a weird obsession with learning about how the earth might die and the collision of the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxies. Now if some fundy asks me, "Well where did the universe come from, huh?" I would simply reply, "I don't know, but I don't pretend to know like you do."
Legion Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I'm probably committing a major taboo here in the atheist community, but I feel the need to say it: I don't care where the universe came from. Neither do I. And I believe we will one day look back on contemporary cosmology and chuckle. I agree with your statement. Though I suspect I would disagree with your reasoning behind the statement. Hmm... that's interesting. What do you believe my reasoning is?
Zaphod Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Kurari, I'm majoring in physics and even I understand the part about not caring about the details of how it all began. Well, I really do want to know everything about it, but I'm learning that there are very specific reasons to think there is a limit to how far into the past we can peer, meaning we'll probably never know. Disappointing, but I'm OK with a simple "I don't know," instead of "I don't know, therefore God." As long people know enough about science and critical thinking to be able to recognize bullshit when it's presented to them, I can live with that.
RankStranger Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I'm probably committing a major taboo here in the atheist community, but I feel the need to say it: I don't care where the universe came from. Neither do I. And I believe we will one day look back on contemporary cosmology and chuckle. I agree with your statement. Though I suspect I would disagree with your reasoning behind the statement. Hmm... that's interesting. What do you believe my reasoning is? Well you have previously cited your musings about entailment as a reasons to doubt contemporary cosmology. And I just don't find that line of reasoning very compelling. The reasons for my own doubts involve the numerous unverifiable assumptions required, and the unfathomable scale of the space and time involved in the calculations. Hell, we know that Newtonian physics starts to have real problems in as common a situation as near earth orbit. Relativity works much better on that scale and larger. But when you get into a scale involving galaxies or BILLIONS of galaxies who is to say that relativity doesn't break down as well? Hell, this whole dark matter nonsense implies to me that relativity IS inadequate for the scale of the universe. OK, this concludes my second 'potshot' of the day. Back to the desk!
oddbird1963 Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Your atheist card should be revoked immediately!!! There's cards? Nobody said anything about cards! Did mine get lost in the mail? Do we get a T-Shirt too?
Legion Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Well you have previously cited your musings about entailment as a reasons to doubt contemporary cosmology. And I just don't find that line of reasoning very compelling. Fair enough, perhaps as I learn more about things and how to communicate them, then my arguments will become more compelling. The reasons for my own doubts involve the numerous unverifiable assumptions required, and the unfathomable scale of the space and time involved in the calculations. Hell, we know that Newtonian physics starts to have real problems in as common a situation as near earth orbit. Relativity works much better on that scale and larger. But when you get into a scale involving galaxies or BILLIONS of galaxies who is to say that relativity doesn't break down as well? Hell, this whole dark matter nonsense implies to me that relativity IS inadequate for the scale of the universe. Okay I see. Hmm. I'm inclined to believe that we do not undertstand the causal relations associated with space-time-matter-energy. So maybe our reasoning in not extremely unreconcilable.
Xerces Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I'm probably committing a major taboo here in the atheist community, but I feel the need to say it. Not really. Just like I don't care about what food you like. You can do whatever you want.
Mike D Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 As an atheist who can't do math, I would rather go to church than be subjected to anything having to do with physics. And I am not very fond of church I think some people (especially Christians) attach a stereotype with atheists that they're either math geeks or nuclear physicists, I think because atheists tend to be a bit more intelligent than average. The problem with that thinking however, is that a person can be intelligent and yet have no interest in math or any other subject that is typically associated with "smart" people. Personally I think you can conclude there is no god from simply observing reality and then testing it against claims made by believers. It's really not that complicated 3
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