An important part of science is exposing it to the public. Concepts about the big bang aren't really relatable, which means little coverage, little funding, and the next generation of would-be scientists not being enthused by the possibilities. Hawking brought those concepts to the masses, which is a very important goal.

Hawking, in a large part due to his success in the face of his disability, attracted media attention that people like Peter Higgs just can't, and he did this while continuing to be a theoretical scientist (unlike people like Neill DeGrasse Tyson, Brian Cox etc, who are all very good at bringing concepts to the public, but don't practice themselves)

Someone like Harvey Weinstein has brought much inspiration and joy to the world too. I'm not arguing against the positive so much as just mentioning some of the ugly negatives.

First, dismissing the subjective appropriateness of commenting immediately upon his passing, while your points on Hawking's personal failings may be completely valid, highlighting them without the context of his successes seems misleading.

Second, I believe Hawking's contributions and accomplishments hold greater relevance to the audience of Hacker News (and in my opinion humanity at large) than those of Harvey Weinstein.

Known for: Hawking radiation Penrose–Hawking theorems Bekenstein–Hawking formula Hawking energy Gibbons–Hawking ansatz Gibbons–Hawking effect Gibbons–Hawking space Gibbons–Hawking–York boundary term Thorne–Hawking–Preskill bet

Awards: Adams Prize (1966) Eddington Medal (1975) Maxwell Medal and Prize (1976) Heineman Prize (1976) Hughes Medal (1976) Albert Einstein Award (1978) RAS Gold Medal (1985) Dirac Medal (1987) Wolf Prize (1988) Prince of Asturias Award (1989) Andrew Gemant Award (1998) Naylor Prize and Lectureship (1999) Lilienfeld Prize (1999) Albert Medal (Royal Society of Arts) (1999) Copley Medal (2006) Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009) Fundamental Physics Prize (2012) BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award (2015)

I'm not just saying he had failings. It's an impressive copy paste job, but his meager contributions and many accolades only serves my point.

Its generally understood that no one is perfect...

Pointing this out while discussing the death of possibly the most respected scientist ever to a tech & science literate crowd is quite unnecessary.

RIP SH.

You prove the necessity by trying to shoehorn this into "nobody's perfect." This "tech & science literate" mob circle jerk enables bad science and bad behavior. I doubt many here even know what Hawking really contributed. He simply embodies some need to worship a disabled genius. No one wants to hear it from me. I get it, but I thought just one person should speak up.

Thanks for posting - I'm more or less with you.

As evidenced by this thread - he was inspirational, and I appreciate that so many people here got that from him. And, yeah, I've heard a number of stories about how he treated women and his first wife that are just disturbing and sadly completely unsurprising, given the norms of our society (that are thankfully being shaken and revisited at this stage of human development, it would seem). This made me lose a lot of respect for him.

It started when I was a grad student in physics at U.C. Berkeley, he came and gave a lecture. He ended it with a tasteless sexual joke / pun, the kind that you would hear from a clueless teenage boy. I was really thrown off by that.

Thank you for posting too. I have a tiny glimmer of hope because of it.

HN, you call yourself scientists? You pursue the truth? You have an open mind? I call bullshit on you HN visitors. Shame on you. I hope I never act as you have done here.

I'm being honest, and you're not providing anything that goes against what I wrote.

No comment about how interesting or entertaining your reply is.

This sort of behavior may earn points on facebook or reddit, but no one here is impressed with classless posturing.

I'm not impressed with your posturing, at least.

No one cares what you're impressed with.

Lecturing about behavior and then replying like you have makes you quite the hypocrite, friendo.

If the subtleties are lost on you thats alright. You don't need to understand.