Stephen William Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford England. Being born during World War II, his family lived in Oxford instead of northern London because it was safer. He went to St. Albans School to receive his B.S. in Natural Science before going to Oxford University to study for a PhD. in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. He was diagnosed with ALS, a disease that slowly paralyzes the victim when he was 21. (Hawkings.org) While he was given a few years to live, Hawking lived a long and productive life as a scientist, including discovering Hawking radiation, until his death on March 14, 2018, in Cambridge, England.
Hawking will be remembered foremost for his scientific accomplishments. He first conceptualized a theory of cosmology in which the universe began with the Big Bang and would end with black holes. Later, he discovered that black holes would emit a type of radiation and eventually disappear. This radiation is called Hawking radiation in his honor (Hawkings.org). While not a philosopher, he considered philosophy dead, with science taking its place, and attempted to use science to answer philosophical questions, like the beginning of the universe.
One positive influence Steven Hawking had was to show that even with a disability people can make a difference in the world. In the 1970s, only his family could understand him due to ALS. Still, he continued his research, lectures, and book writing.
However, his views on God left him with no hope for after his death. He considered himself an atheist and, according to Time magazine, Hawking regarded the human brain as a computer and like a computer when it fails, there is nothing left. He also propagated views that the universe did not need a creator; it would make itself. Being a famous physicist, his views would make an impression on younger people because they would see his views as the ones intelligent people have. Because of his actions, he hindered the church’s goal of reaching the lost as his ideas pointed people away from God.
Works Cited:
About Stephen (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.hawking.org.uk/about-stephen.html.
Ducharme, J. (March 14, 2018) Stephen Hawking was an atheist. Here’s what he said about God, Heaven, and his own death. Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/5199149/stephen-hawking-death-god-atheist.
Modern Day Influencers 