10 Questions for Stephen Hawking (TIME)

[Alex]

10 Questions for Stephen Hawking
By Stephen Hawking, Nov 15, 2010
TIME
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2029483,00.html


If God doesn't exist, why did the concept of his existence become almost universal?

I don't claim that God doesn't exist. God is the name people give to the reason we are here. But I think that reason is the laws of physics rather than someone with whom one can have a personal relationship. An impersonal God.


What do you believe happens to our consciousness after death?

I think the brain is essentially a computer and consciousness is like a computer program. It will cease to run when the computer is turned off. Theoretically, it could be re-created on a neural network, but that would be very difficult, as it would require all one's memories.