Atheists: Do you feel good about your beliefs?

[Blouman Empire]

The hole itself but not the universe it leads to.

What universe?

A black hole isn't a 'gate' to anything, it's just a fantastically strong gravity threshold/event.

Stephen Hawking theorized otherwise in his essay Blackholes and Baby Universes

[Australian Antarctic Territory]

Personally I feel very good about my absence of beliefs, to the point where I think it would feel weird to put your beliefs in something so likely to disappoint.

[The Dwemer Ascendancy]

What universe?

A black hole isn't a 'gate' to anything, it's just a fantastically strong gravity threshold/event.

Stephen Hawking theorized otherwise in his essay Blackholes and Baby Universes

I dare say what Stephen Hawking hypothesizes is not the measure of truth.

[Blouman Empire]

If it does, which it probably doesn't.

The same can be said for your doom predictions on the universe.

Don't project your own despair at a finite existence onto me. I'm quite pleased to not live forever.

If I were projecting I would be pessimist about an eternal afterlife, it would appear I have put forward the potential of a particular type of afterlife and talking about the good points about it.

I would appreciate living longer, however. And ideally I would wish for eternal youth and health until I felt content at the prospect of death.

So would I.

It's just odd that you should accuse us of not thinking about something which you clearly haven't thought about.

I've thought about it a lot you just choose to take a different angle to it. You have different assumptions to mine.

[Valourium]

What universe?

A black hole isn't a 'gate' to anything, it's just a fantastically strong gravity threshold/event.

Stephen Hawking theorized otherwise in his essay Blackholes and Baby Universes

True.
Oh well, that's really of no use to us. We cannot travel through black holes. This should be self explanatory, lol.
Along with that, it's a really sketchy theory.

[Blouman Empire]

Stephen Hawking theorized otherwise in his essay Blackholes and Baby Universes

I dare say what Stephen Hawking hypothesizes is not the measure of truth.

It is as valid as any other idea stemmed from theoretical physicist

[Ostroeuropa]

Stephen Hawking theorized otherwise in his essay Blackholes and Baby Universes

I dare say what Stephen Hawking hypothesizes is not the measure of truth.

It's because, well...
Where does the energy go?
It's a big problem. It has to GO somewhere, and currently we have no idea where.

You have a huge mass, which is essentially, a huge amount of energy and it just...goes away.

So the idea is, it buggers off to elsewhere and goes BOOOM and suddenly a new universe.

[Blouman Empire]

Stephen Hawking theorized otherwise in his essay Blackholes and Baby Universes

True.
Oh well, that's really of no use to us. We cannot travel through black holes. This should be self explanatory, lol.

I know we can't at least not come out the same on the other side.

[Valourium]

I dare say what Stephen Hawking hypothesizes is not the measure of truth.

It's because, well...
Where does the energy go?
It's a big problem. It has to GO somewhere, and currently we have no idea where.

You have a huge mass, which is essentially, a huge amount of energy and it just...goes away.

So the idea is, it buggers off to elsewhere and goes BOOOM and suddenly a new universe.

Ever heard of the supercore?

[Blouman Empire]

Personally I feel very good about my absence of beliefs, to the point where I think it would feel weird to put your beliefs in something so likely to disappoint.

If there is no afterlife then no one can be disappointed when they die

[Ostroeuropa]

It's because, well...
Where does the energy go?
It's a big problem. It has to GO somewhere, and currently we have no idea where.

You have a huge mass, which is essentially, a huge amount of energy and it just...goes away.

So the idea is, it buggers off to elsewhere and goes BOOOM and suddenly a new universe.

Ever heard of the supercore?

Have not. (gonna search for it, if it's obscure would you mind providing a link?)
EDIT:
Lots of restaurants named it...

Restaurants, porn, and businesses.

[The Dwemer Ascendancy]

If it does, which it probably doesn't.

The same can be said for your doom predictions on the universe.

No actually, that's supported by all the available evidence.

Don't project your own despair at a finite existence onto me. I'm quite pleased to not live forever.

If I were projecting I would be pessimist about an eternal afterlife, it would appear I have put forward the potential of a particular type of afterlife and talking about the good points about it.

While overlooking the obvious failings.

It's like listening to someone talking about being burned at the stake as, "getting out of the cold for a while."

It's just odd that you should accuse us of not thinking about something which you clearly haven't thought about.

I've thought about it a lot you just choose to take a different angle to it. You have different assumptions to mine.

I'm not assuming anything, friend. Well, I suppose I am assuming that science is an appropriate means to try and gain insight into reality.

Thinking about something honestly requires looking at positives and negatives both. You've clearly been doing the former exclusively.

[The Dwemer Ascendancy]

I dare say what Stephen Hawking hypothesizes is not the measure of truth.

It's because, well...
Where does the energy go?
It's a big problem. It has to GO somewhere, and currently we have no idea where.

You have a huge mass, which is essentially, a huge amount of energy and it just...goes away.

So the idea is, it buggers off to elsewhere and goes BOOOM and suddenly a new universe.

Except that it seems universes don't require energy to be formed.

As the net energy of our universe is zero.

[Ostroeuropa]

It's because, well...
Where does the energy go?
It's a big problem. It has to GO somewhere, and currently we have no idea where.

You have a huge mass, which is essentially, a huge amount of energy and it just...goes away.

So the idea is, it buggers off to elsewhere and goes BOOOM and suddenly a new universe.

Except that it seems universes don't require energy to be formed.

As the net energy of our universe is zero.

Didn't say I agreed, just pointing out it's more plausible than it seems at first glance

[Blouman Empire]

No actually, that's supported by all the available evidence.

Doesn't mean it is going to happen, I would be thrilled to see what would happen.

While overlooking the obvious failings.

It's like listening to someone talking about being burned at the stake as, "getting out of the cold for a while."

False analogy

I'm not assuming anything, friend. Well, I suppose I am assuming that science is an appropriate means to try and gain insight into reality.

Thinking about something honestly requires looking at positives and negatives both. You've clearly been doing the former exclusively.

No I have thought about the negatives too but I fell the positives outweigh the negatives, hence why I wouldn't mind if that did happen to me.

[The Dwemer Ascendancy]

Except that it seems universes don't require energy to be formed.

As the net energy of our universe is zero.

Didn't say I agreed, just pointing out it's more plausible than it seems at first glance

Oh, I didn't mean to sound antagonistic.

[Ostroeuropa]

Didn't say I agreed, just pointing out it's more plausible than it seems at first glance

Oh, I didn't mean to sound antagonistic.

Didn't read it as.
Personally I suspect quantum fluctuation probably has something to do with it (The universe's beginning.), since it seems to fit pretty well if i'm understanding it correctly.
(yes yes i know, if you think you understand quantum theory you don't understand quantum theory.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_fluctuation


The entire universe is just one large quantum fluctuation.
We could disappear at any moment!!


"We've never seen something come from nothing!"

yeh we have. all the goddamn time.

[The Dwemer Ascendancy]

Doesn't mean it is going to happen, I would be thrilled to see what would happen.

As would I.

But if it turns out that does happen, which it probably will, I'd prefer not to spend the next few eternities in solitary confinement.

False analogy

False criticism. (hey, I can do it too)

Seriously, how not? You are describing what would likely be a torturous experience as positive.

No I have thought about the negatives too but I fell the positives outweigh the negatives, hence why I wouldn't mind if that did happen to me.

This is a situation with a likely infinite negative, and a likely finite positive.

I hope it doesn't happen to you. I am not a sadist.

[Blouman Empire]

But if it turns out it doesn't happen, which it probably will, I'd prefer not to spend the next few eternities in solitary confinement.

Unless it happens to everybody then we are all in it together. Perhaps we can have a sing-a-long.

Seriously, how not? You are describing what would likely be a torturous experience as positive.

Only if you consider it a torturous experience.

This is a situation with a likely infinite negative, and a likely finite positive.

Again in your negative pessimistic opinion, but if you say so.

[Vestr-Norig]

It is an interesting fact that atheists generally have a higher blood-pressure, is more stressed and depressed, and dies earlier than religious do. I guess that has to do with religious believing God/gods will do us right anyway as long as we behave nice, and having him as a sort of protector may calm us a bit down. The belief in an afterlife is probably were important too. Still, I don't think I would be much more depressed if I believed that death was the end. Yes, it may be a short life, but when you're dead, I guess you wouldn't suffer at least, as your mind would "cease to exist."

[Ostroeuropa]

It is an interesting fact that atheists generally have a higher blood-pressure, is more stressed and depressed, and dies earlier than religious do. I guess that has to do with religious believing God(gods will do us right anyway, and having him as a sort of protector may calm us a bit down. The belief in an afterlife is probably were important too. Still, I don't think I would be much more depressed if I believed that death was the end. Yes, it may be a short life, but when you're dead, I guess you wouldn't suffer at least, as youre mind would "cease to exist."

Actually no, it's more to do with meditative/tranquil states. You can achieve an equal effect by listening to classical music once a day.
Which is much more preferable to the, you know, god thing.

[The Dwemer Ascendancy]

But if it turns out it doesn't happen, which it probably will, I'd prefer not to spend the next few eternities in solitary confinement.

Unless it happens to everybody then we are all in it together. Perhaps we can have a sing-a-long.

An eternity of kumbaya? That would be hell.

Seriously, even granted that, with a finite number of sentient minds, you would eventually tire of talking to all of them.

Seriously, how not? You are describing what would likely be a torturous experience as positive.

Only if you consider it a torturous experience.

I have given clear examples of the aspects of it I would find torturous, and you have not disputed any of them.

This is a situation with a likely infinite negative, and a likely finite positive.

Again in your negative pessimistic opinion, but if you say so.

Again with the projection. I'm not the one afraid of death here. I am, somewhat afraid of dying, but that's another matter.

You, meanwhile, are so pessimistic regarding the prospect of your own oblivion, that you are clinging to what could quite possibly be the very worst experience there is just to escape it.

I am quite happy.

And it is not my opinion, it is what the best science available suggests.

[Vestr-Norig]

It is an interesting fact that atheists generally have a higher blood-pressure, is more stressed and depressed, and dies earlier than religious do. I guess that has to do with religious believing God(gods will do us right anyway, and having him as a sort of protector may calm us a bit down. The belief in an afterlife is probably were important too. Still, I don't think I would be much more depressed if I believed that death was the end. Yes, it may be a short life, but when you're dead, I guess you wouldn't suffer at least, as youre mind would "cease to exist."

Actually no, it's more to do with meditative/tranquil states. You can achieve an equal effect by listening to classical music once a day.
Which is much more preferable to the, you know, god thing.

Yeah, that was kinda what I wanted to point out. Believing in God calms us down, making us take situations much more easier, and making us less depressed, indeed in generally the same way music does.

[The Dwemer Ascendancy]

I dare say what Stephen Hawking hypothesizes is not the measure of truth.

It is as valid as any other idea stemmed from theoretical physicist

Not slightly.

By contrast, Hawking Radiation has been measured and verified.

[Ostroeuropa]

It is as valid as any other idea stemmed from theoretical physicist

Not slightly.

By contrast, Hawking Radiation has been measured and verified.

To clarify, he's come up with one possible explanation/theory, but as yet no method of testing it.
This is a good thing either way, but it should be regarded as just one of many possible answers, if someone figures out a way to test his theory then we get to give it merit based on the outcome of the test.

First, there is the "It could be this-" which, by itself, holds no weight.
Then someone says "I've figured out how we can tell whether or not it is that."
Then the test happens, and the potential answer is either discarded, or given some serious credit and investigated further.