4/26/2014

11 Stephen Hawking Quotes for His 71st Birthday | Mental Floss

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AM AZ IN G FAC T S

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B IG Q UE S T IO N S

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11 Stephen Hawking Quotes for His 71st

Birthday

S UB S C R IB E

S TORE

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Erin McCarthy

filed under: science, technology, celebrities

IMAGE CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

When Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at age 21, doctors
thought he'd only survive a few more years. But the theoretical physicist defied the odds:
Hawking turns 71 today. Here are 11 quotes from the Director of Research at the Centre for
Theoretical Cosmology at Cambridge and author of A Brief History of Time. Happy birthday,
professor!

1. ON HIS SCHOOLING:
"At school, I was never more than about halfway up the class. It was a very bright class. My
classwork was very untidy, and my handwriting was the despair of my teachers. But
my classmates gave me the nickname Einstein, so presumably they saw signs of
something better. When I was twelve, one of my friends bet another friend a bag of sweets
that I would never come to anything. I don't know if this bet was ever settled, and if so, which
way it was decided..."

1.

From the lecture "My Brief History," 2010.

2.

MO S T P O P UL A R

8 Foods You've Been Eating All Wrong

The Least-Remembered Countries in the

World

2. ON CONTACTING ALIENS:
"If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which
didn't turn out well for the Native Americans. We only have to look at ourselves to see how
intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet."
From Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking, 2010.

3.
4.

The Most Famous Book Set in Each State

13 Little-Known Punctuation Marks We

Should Be Using

5.

5 Jeopardy! Questions That Stumped

(Fictional) Geniuses

3. ON THE EUREKA MOMENT SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY:

I wouldnt compare it to sex, but it lasts longer.

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4/26/2014

11 Stephen Hawking Quotes for His 71st Birthday | Mental Floss

From a lecture at Arizona State University, April 2011.

4. ON DISABILITY:
"If you are disabled, it is probably not your fault, but it is no good blaming the world or
expecting it to take pity on you. One has to have a positive attitude and must make the best
of the situation that one finds oneself in; if one is physically disabled, one cannot afford to be
psychologically disabled as well. In my opinion, one should concentrate on activities in which
one's physical disability will not present a serious handicap. I am afraid that Olympic Games
for the disabled do not appeal to me, but it is easy for me to say that because I never liked
athletics anyway. On the other hand, science is a very good area for disabled people
because it goes on mainly in the mind. Of course, most kinds of experimental work are
probably ruled out for most such people, but theoretical work is almost ideal. My
disabilities have not been a significant handicap in my field, which is theoretical physics.
Indeed, they have helped me in a way by shielding me from lecturing and administrative work
that I would otherwise have been involved in. I have managed, however, only because of the
large amount of help I have received from my wife, children, colleagues and students. I find
that people in general are very ready to help, but you should encourage them to feel that their
efforts to aid you are worthwhile by doing as well as you possibly can."

48 Things You Didn't Know >

Had Names

49 Hoaxes People Actually>

Believed

From "Handicapped People and Science," Science Digest 92, No. 9, September 1984.

5. ON TIME TRAVEL:
"I would go back to 1967, and the birth of my first child, Robert. My three children have
brought me great joy."
To the New York Times, May 2011.

6. ON FATE VS. FREE WILL:

B R I L L I A NT Q UE S T I O NS F R O M Y O U!

"I have noticed that even people who claim everything is predetermined and that we can do
nothing to change it, look before they cross the road."

When and Why Did People >

Start Saying "Um"?

From Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays.

Why Are Some Letters

Missing From NYC
Subways?

7. ON SCIENCE VS. RELIGION:

"There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, [and]
science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win, because it works."

>

What Happened to Wally

Pipp After He Was
>
Benched?

To Diane Sawyer/ABC News, June 2010.

8. ON IMPERFECTION:
"Next time someone complains that you have made a mistake, tell him that may be a good
thing. Because without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist."

SUBMIT A QUESTION

From Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking, 2010.

WA T E R C O O L E R A MMO

9. ON HIS I.Q.:

SIGN UP NOW

"I have no idea. People who boast about their I.Q. are losers."

for our daily newsletter with exclusive nuggets of

To the New York Times, December 2004.

information guaranteed to amaze your coworkers and

friends!

10. ON WOMEN:
They are a complete mystery.

si g n u p fo r o u r e ma i l

l i st

Submit

To the New Scientist, January 2012.

11. ON THE ADVICE HE GAVE HIS CHILDREN:

"One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work.
Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky
enough to find love, remember it is there and don't throw it away."
To Diane Sawyer/ABC News, June 2010.
January 8, 2013 - 10:31am

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4/26/2014

11 Stephen Hawking Quotes for His 71st Birthday | Mental Floss

Erin McCarthy

Follow @erincm ccarthy

Erin is the Managing Editor of MentalFloss.com. Previously, she covered everything

from natural disasters to bridge engineering to the science behind sci-fi movies for
Popular Mechanics magazine. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her
karaoking, watching Investigation Discovery and hockey (go NYR!), or hanging out
with her cats, Oliver and Pearl.
WE WA NT Y O UR A NS WE R S !

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Dbakeca Italia

11 Stephen Hawking Quotes for His 71st Birthday | Mental Floss

a year ago

smart man
5

Reply Share

Nate Saint Ours

a year ago

Women are a complete mystery. Says the man who studied black holes his whole life.
49

Reply Share

Dezo

Nate Saint Ours a year ago

Says the man who said "my goal in life has been simple; to figure out the way the
universe works, and why it exists at all."
That gives me a lot of hope in understanding women....
4

Reply Share

Girius

Dezo a day ago

Women are easy to figure out - they can easily manipulate men with sex
and with the illusions he has regarding family etc.
And they do it. Not terribly complicated.
Reply Share

bonaparte3

a year ago

Happy Birthday, Dr. Hawking!

7

Reply Share

Randy

a year ago

Stephen Hawking we are close in age

(he being a year younger) and I suspect from his quotes close in a
generational world view. I suspect that he would be a very
interesting person to sit and talk with at the side of the stream.
11

Reply Share

MistaG5763

a year ago

Remarkable. The free will thing made me laugh. I've searched for phrasing like that my
whole life. And his advice to his children really shows what type of person he is. Again,
Remarkable.
6

Reply Share

Kodi Azuonye

8 months ago

Happy Birthday, Professor Stephen Hawkin

Reply Share

CuriousCommenter

8 months ago

A great man who has overcome a terrible circumstance...inspiration for us all....Stephen

Hawking '16???? I wish!
1

Reply Share

armin

2 months ago

happy birthday:)
Reply Share

Jack

5 days ago

He denounces religion in the name of science, yet he believes in 'love' and says women
are a complete mystery. Love, too, is a concept based on authority and women (like all
other living beings) can be understood by science. Back to the drawing board Hawking!
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11 Stephen Hawking Quotes for His 71st Birthday | Mental Floss

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