quote:
This statement makes no sense, since even hawkins admits it had a beginning. Self-contained would mean it was eternal and did not have a beginnig. That which is contengent on something else, in this case an admited beginning cannot be described as self-supporting. The Purposal address no real solution to anything, except to ignore obvious facts.
No, it simply contradicts your opinions. Hawking does not accept that the universe had a beginning in the sense that you mean.
quote:
Testable does not mean the same as an actual observation of the limits of space and its entire properties, as he clearly indicates. Read the article again.
Ah yes, a typical example of "moving the goalposts". Rather than rereading the lecture, those interested in the truth should read my
Message 216 (Message 216)< !--UE--> again.
As is quite clear, the issue was your statement:
...the following comments, out of the article itself, should make it painfully clear that these are not theories that can be tested
(my bolding for emphasis)
As I pointed out, your assertion was untrue, since Hawking in fact DID talk about testing the hypothesis, with no hint that it was impossible.
As we note there is no mention of "actual observation of the limits of space" - that is just a red herring that you have presumably invented jut now in an attempt to obscure your obvious error.