Can there be a lawless universe (according to Hawking)?

In summary, the conversation discusses a phrase from the book "George and the Big Bang" by Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy Hawking that suggests the existence of universes with different laws or no laws at all. The validity of this statement is questioned, with the conversation mentioning a recent article where Hawking implies that nature may not have laws. The main question is whether Hawking truly believed in the existence of universes with no laws or if it was an exaggerated statement for the book's target audience. It is noted that Hawking's popular science publications often presented his speculations as established physics, but there is no evidence of him making similar claims in peer-reviewed publications.
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TL;DR Summary
Can there be a lawless universe (according to Stephen Hawking)?
I got a phrase from a book that Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy Hawking published in 2011. The book is "George and the Big Bang" which is a science fiction book prepared for children.
I read a phrase on that book that interested me. It was:

"Perhaps there are many universes, each with laws different from our own, and maybe some with no laws to speak of at all."

I thought that this was probably an exaggeration or something like that since the book is aimed for children. But in a recent article in the Scientific American (https://blogs.scientificamerican.co...universe-does-not-forget-and-neither-will-we/), he seems to imply that nature does not have laws at all:

"If black holes are “wells of forgetfulness,” as Hawking put it recently, in which the past is lost for good, can nature be said to have laws at all? “It’s like the universe losing its cell phone,” Hawking said. “Worse than that—losing its memory""

My main question is: It is known that Stephen Hawking was a proponent of the Multiverse hypotheses, but did he really think that even universes with no laws could exist? Or that was an exaggerated statement to impress the children that would read this book?
 
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Hawking's pop science publications had a tendency to present far-out speculations of his in the same manner as well-tested physics. I am not aware of any actual peer-reviewed publication of his where he made claims like the ones you describe.
 

FAQ: Can there be a lawless universe (according to Hawking)?

Can there really be a lawless universe according to Hawking?

According to Stephen Hawking's theory of quantum mechanics, there is a possibility that the universe could exist without any laws or principles governing it. This is known as the "no-boundary proposal" and suggests that the universe could have originated from a state of complete chaos.

How does the concept of a lawless universe fit into our current understanding of physics?

The idea of a lawless universe challenges our current understanding of physics, which is based on the laws of nature that govern the behavior of matter and energy. However, it is still a theoretical concept and requires further research and evidence to be fully accepted by the scientific community.

What would a lawless universe look like?

If the universe truly had no laws, it would be a chaotic and unpredictable place. There would be no consistency or patterns in the behavior of matter and energy, making it impossible for life to exist. It is also possible that the universe would not have formed in the first place without the laws of nature guiding its development.

Are there any other theories that support the idea of a lawless universe?

Aside from Hawking's no-boundary proposal, there are other theories that suggest the possibility of a lawless universe. For example, the concept of a multiverse suggests that there could be multiple universes with different laws of nature, including some that may be lawless.

What are the implications of a lawless universe for our understanding of the universe and our place in it?

If a lawless universe were to exist, it would challenge our current understanding of the universe and our place in it. It would also raise questions about the role of laws and principles in the formation and evolution of the universe. However, until there is concrete evidence to support this theory, it remains a fascinating but unproven concept.

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