Science a GoGo's Home Page Forums General Discussion Not-Quite-Science Forum Mystery of Miracles

Thank you for the thought-inspiring comments, RK and Tutor.

For what it's worth I do think that any guess, wild or not, should begin with the idea that since time as we know it was formed in the Bang, there really is no before-the-Bang. Nor is there probably an exact beginning of time— time, at the beginning at least, is finite yet without boundary.

This universe could be everything— all there is.

That statement may find support in some theories but not necessarily in others. It would be unwise to take such speculation as a matter of fact, be it as a basis for a scientific hypothesis, or as support for a metaphysical belief system.

Warren, your definition of time as that which is both finite and infinite, concurs with the GOD-hypothesis which makes sense to me, in my opinion and at this point.

I say the above because, unlike the Pope, I do not claim to be infallible in matters of "faith and morals".

BTW, I like to think of GOD and the absolute as one and the same. The word absolute, used as an adjective, refers to that which is whole and complete, and cannot be compared to anything else. This why I like to say: GOD simply is!

Philosophically speaking, GOD, IMO, is the absolute. In other words, GOD is not a being which is relative to other beings. Any god which is relative to other gods is, like them, an idol. GOD is without limits or restrictions; is that which is the ultimate ground of all things and is neither subjective or objective.

From philosophy and psychology we learn that our minds cannot know what things really are, of themselves. We only know them, and be conscious of them, by the effects they produce upon our minds as we sense how they relate to one another.

And speaking of relativity, interestingly, the article on Einstein, in World Book encyclopedia says that though he was not associated with any organized religion, "Einstein's nature was deeply religious. Merely to come into his presence was always a profoundly spiritual experience. Although he felt that belief in a personal God was too specific to the Being at work in this universe, he never believed that the universe is one of chance or chaos. The universe to him was one of law and order. He once said, 'God may be sophisticated, but he is not malicious.'" Paul Arthur Schlipp.

Blah This universe? Which one is this universe?

The one we see each time we look at it. It does seem to be the same one each time, and observations by different people at different times seem to agree.

I am interested in whether the universe— and for that matter time and space— is finite, and enjoy reading articles on the topic. Yes it does seem scientific opinion is changing with new knowledge and that the verdict, or even general consensus, is not yet out.

Then the metaphysical implications— I’m sure this will still be a hot topic decades if not centuries from now.