“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.”
- January 8, 1942 – March 14, 2018
- British
- Theoretical physicist, science writer
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Quote
“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.”
Explanation
This quote reflects Stephen Hawking’s well-known views on the mind, consciousness, and the afterlife. As a scientist, he believed that the brain is essentially a complex biological computer, and when its components (the neurons, for instance) cease to function, consciousness ends. In his perspective, the concept of an afterlife is a cultural construct, a comforting idea for those who fear death and the unknown. Hawking was an outspoken atheist, rejecting religious explanations for life and the universe, and this statement is in line with his belief that there is no need for supernatural interventions or afterlife concepts when we have science and reason.
This viewpoint also highlights Hawking’s rationalist approach to understanding the universe. He saw human consciousness as the product of biochemical processes in the brain, and just like any other system in physics, once the system breaks down, it ceases to function. This view challenges traditional religious beliefs and points to the importance of living a full life here and now, without relying on the hope of a divine afterlife. In modern terms, this aligns with the scientific materialism that has become prominent in discussions of consciousness and human existence. It also suggests a pragmatic acceptance of death as part of the natural cycle, rather than something to be feared or avoided.
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