Why does the universe exist at all?

[Dr Strangelove]

The universe exists because all possible unvierses exist.

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by BlackCat
Disagree a little - the universe is of limited size, though it is expanding. It's the nothingness surrounding it that are of unlimited size.

Shouldn't the universe be everything by definition? so nothing surrounding it?

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by Odin


No, the Universe IS infinite. When cosmologists talk about the size of the universe, the vast majority are refering to the OBSERVERABLE universe, the part that we can see because light has been able to reach from there.



So you think the Big Bang never happened? I thought the steady staters have been extinct ever since the background microwave radiation was found.

According to some theories, (actually the main theory depending on some parameters) the WHOLE universe is finite, although without boundary.

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
there is a point where we need to accept there are things beyond our human comprehension - the universe should inspire awe and wonder, we can hardly comprehend it

consider this, there are more stars than there are grains of sand on the seashore, some of the light you see when you look at the stars at night is only just reaching us from the beginning of time and is like a photograph of genesis.

How can you really understand these things?

But the same logic could be applied to why planets go round, or even how the Earth was created or where lightning comes from, at some point in history, or even today in some ppl's mind.
We like to think we have a somewhat good understanding of these phenomena today, and we want to keep going on our roll!

I can appreciate what you're trying to say, but in my opinion, the search, however vain, to answer these types of questions have born much understanding, maybe about other things, ourselves whatever...

[Vince278]

Ok everyone try this: Where is the center of the universe?

[techumseh]

My teenage son?

[Bill3000]

Originally posted by Vince278
Ok everyone try this: Where is the center of the universe?

To put it in short, you are the center of the universe.

There is no real center of the universe. Space expanded, akin to the way the surface of a balloon expanded, with coins on the balloon representing objects. The distance between points increased - the actual objects didn't move. (relatively; they do move, but it's nothing compared to the expansion of space itself) Thus, from your point of view, you are the center of the universe.

[Bill3000]

Existence implies creation.

If this was true, the following controdiction would occur:

Existance implies creation.
The universe exists.
The universe must have been created.
The creator exists.
The creator must have been created.

etc.

[Vince278]

Originally posted by Bill3000
To put it in short, you are the center of the universe.

There is no real center of the universe. Space expanded, akin to the way the surface of a balloon expanded, with coins on the balloon representing objects. The distance between points increased - the actual objects didn't move. (relatively; they do move, but it's nothing compared to the expansion of space itself) Thus, from your point of view, you are the center of the universe.

Correct!
This also explains where in the universe the big bang occurred. (Everywhere!)

[FrostyBoy]

I still believe that the reasoning for the universe to exist is the most simplest answer, and that's why people miss the answer so easily; because people tend to believe that something so complicated can not possibly have such a simple answer.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by techumseh
Is there some kind of award for stumping OT?

No you didn't

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
you really are a fool, aren't you

Horsie, you can earn yourself a vacation by insulting another person one more time.

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Bill3000
Is the following statement true or false:

This statement is false .

According to he rules of logic , it comes under the category of a paradox , and as such has no truth value . Also , "this statement" is not defined , and thus this paradox cannot have a truth value .

[Bill3000]

Originally posted by Sn00py
I still believe that the reasoning for the universe to exist is the most simplest answer, and that's why people miss the answer so easily; because people tend to believe that something so complicated can not possibly have such a simple answer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_maximum_boredom

Allright, it's for computers, but I've seen a link to it in a physics article there, and it does ring true with Occam's razor.

[Whaleboy]

Existence implies creation. The question of creation leads to the First Cause arguments that litter Apolyton theads.

Existence most certainly does not imply creation. One cannot apply the "cause is necessary to consequence" argument to a supposed necessary universe consistenting of entirely contingent objects.

I would admit that if I see another coughed-up first cause argument, I will personally die.

Bill3000's criticism is an excellent refutation of what I am also criticising.

As for a centre of the universe in a geometric sense, I am inclined to reserve judgement since if time began as an Einsteinian 4th dimension with the big bang, then logic as we perceive it also began then, since logic is predicated by cause -> consequence which is in turn dependant upon time. Time is something that we can regard as something of a tautology in argument.

How can you really understand these things?

There is a fundamental difference between understanding what exists, and understanding [b]how[/i] something exists. I should be very careful about establishing limits to the achievements of science where no logical barriers exist to hold it back.