Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking

 Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking

Hey there,

As someone who enjoys reviewing books from all genres, I recently decided to step outside my comfort zone and dive into a book by one of the greatest scientific minds of our time Stephen Hawking. The book is called Brief Answers to the Big Questions, and honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. I was a little scared it would be full of technical terms I wouldn't understand and to be fair, some of them were! Words like “event horizon,” “quantum mechanics,” and “artificial general intelligence” made me stop and Google a few times. But what surprised me most was how readable, thoughtful, and personal this book felt.

This isn’t just a science book. It’s a conversation between Hawking and all of us about some of the biggest and most timeless questions humanity has ever asked: Is there a God? How did the universe begin? Will AI take over? Should we colonize space?

The chapter that hooked me immediately was the very first one: Is There a God? I was curious to read Hawking’s take. But the way he explains his perspective is calm, respectful, and rooted in science. He doesn’t try to argue against religion or faith; instead, he gently walks us through why, in his view, the universe can be explained without the need for a divine creator.

He explains how time itself began with the Big Bang meaning there was no “before” the universe, because time didn’t exist. It’s a tricky idea to grasp, but Hawking’s examples and analogies really helped. He even compares trying to imagine “before the Big Bang” to asking what’s north of the North Pole. It’s not an attack on belief it's an invitation to think.

And then comes the chapter on Artificial Intelligence another favorite of mine. Hawking doesn’t paint AI as simply good or evil. Instead, he lays out the potential it holds and the dangers it brings. I found myself nodding as he explained how AI could either help us solve major global problems like disease, poverty, and climate change or, if left unchecked, become one of the greatest threats to humanity.

What struck me was how balanced he was. He wasn’t being dramatic. He was being realistic. He believed AI would eventually surpass human intelligence and warned that we must be careful about how we develop and control it. What captivates me in every book is the way writer use literary allusion of 2001 Space Odyssey, Brave New World, Hamlet and so on.

Now, I won’t lie the scientific terminology was one hurdle for me. Some chapters took a little longer to read and fully understand. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. The book also talks a lot about the future of science, of humanity, and of our planet. Hawking was deeply concerned about climate change, nuclear war, and the rise of artificial intelligence. But he wasn’t a pessimist. He believed in the power of human intelligence, cooperation, and curiosity. His message is clear: yes, we’re facing big problems, but we also have the tools to solve them if we act wisely.

So would I recommend this book? Absolutely. If you're someone who's ever looked up at the stars and wondered about life, God, or the future of technology, this book is for you. Yes, you may stumble over some of the scientific terms like I did, but don’t let that scare you. Stick with it. Because Brief Answers to the Big Questions isn’t just about science it’s about the human spirit, our endless curiosity, and our shared future.

And in today’s world, I think we need that more than ever.

Thank you. See you again in next review.