Mastering the art of using mathematical concepts to analyze and predict universal outcomes, Hawking’s immense intellect has long been revered and respected. His inquisitive mind held interesting views on many things, including religion. Prior to his death in 2018, Hawking transcribed his views on whether or not he believes in God, Heaven, and if we were put on this Earth for a higher purpose.

During an interview with a Spanish publication called El Mundo, Hawking once said, “Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing explanation.” Hawking later clarified that he was speaking on all religions in general, not just one specific religion.

Faith was not a concept that Hawking had any personal investment in because there wasn’t much factual evidence to support the notion that there is an almighty creator. Because of this, Stephen Hawking considered himself an atheist.

He insisted that the laws of physics were responsible for creating the universe, not a higher power. “Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist,” he said.

“No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me to a profound realization, there’s probably no Heaven and no afterlife, either…I think belief in an afterlife is just wishful thinking,” he wrote. “There is no reliable evidence for it, and it flies in the face of everything we know in science.”

Hawking, who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS, was confined to a wheelchair for the majority of his life and was unable to speak without using a computer. He pointed to his disability as one of the reasons for his lack of faith in a higher power.  “For centuries, it was believed that disabled people like me were living under a curse that was inflicted by God,” he said. “I prefer to think that everything can be explained another way, by the laws of nature.”

He further added he didn’t attribute his existence to a higher power. “God is the name people give to the reason we are here,” he wrote. “But I think that reason is the laws of physics rather than someone with whom one can have a personal relationship. An impersonal God.”

He understood that everyone would have their own set of beliefs, but his personal choice was to not believe in God. “We are each free to believe what we want and it’s my view that the simplest explanation is there is no God,” he said.

However, Hawking was weary about humans contacting potential alien life forms, adding, “We don’t know much about aliens, but we know about humans. If you look at history, contact between humans and less intelligent organisms have often been disastrous from their point of view, and encounters between civilizations with advanced versus primitive technologies have gone badly for the less advanced.”

“Travel back in time can’t be ruled out according to our present understanding,” he said before adding that “within the next hundred years we will be able to travel to anywhere in the Solar System.”

Hawking believed that the laws of physics could explain everything there is to know about the universe. His beliefs on God, religion, and the afterlife may differ from that of many, but he operated through the lens of an esteemed physicist. Hawking’s contributions to science will forever define his legacy.

In his last book, Hawking offered a pertinent message to readers. “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet,” he wrote. “Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.”