iforgot Posted November 28, 2012 #1 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) I'll start by saying that I'm not religious at all, and that I (probably) never will be. I guess a good description would be spiritual! However, I'm really curious where, or what force, non-believers think we (and physical reality itself) came from. If everything in physical reality needs a cause to have an effect (simple laws of physics), then what was the initial cause to create the physical reality we live in? If everything in our physical reality needs a cause to have an effect, the only way for initial creation was for some outside force to essentially create our physical reality, or our reality must have broken its own laws of physics at the beginning of time. By saying there was no cause, and knowing that our universe has not been around for an infinite amount of time means that a mystical (paranormal) force caused creation. By saying there was a cause, then something had to have created our universe (such as what many people would describe as 'God'). It seems like a simple and self defeating argument. It's clear that our universe wasn't always in existence, so I'm anxious to hear your opinions. This simple reason is why I do not understand the die hard atheists, or people who take a close-minded skeptical stance instead of open-minded and skeptical view of our reality. Edited November 28, 2012 by iforgot 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithisco Posted November 28, 2012 #2 Share Posted November 28, 2012 The real problem here is how to comprehend that which appears to be incomprehensible. For me it is simple, the Universe (as we understand it) cycles through phases. We are living in an expanding phase giving plenty of time for Solar System creation and Evolution to exist, not forgetting "Time". When this phase submits itself to Entropic forces then the Universe (Ours) will contract again in preparation (not cognitive) for the next expansion. No real Mystery here, and no need to invoke a "God" principle. IMO 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted November 28, 2012 #3 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Don't athiests believe we evolved from protoplasm growing in a puddle of slime in the far distant past? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scowl Posted November 28, 2012 #4 Share Posted November 28, 2012 However, I'm really curious where, or what force, non-believers think we (and physical reality itself) came from. If everything in physical reality needs a cause to have an effect (simple laws of physics), then what was the initial cause to create the physical reality we live in? There's absolutely no way to find the answer to this question. I prefer to spend my time finding answers to answerable questions that may benefit someone. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scowl Posted November 28, 2012 #5 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Don't athiests believe we evolved from protoplasm growing in a puddle of slime in the far distant past? The OP is asking a much harder question: where did everything come from? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etu Malku Posted November 28, 2012 #6 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) I like these two theories: Stephen Hawkings' idea that the Universe has no beginning or end . . . it just IS. And IMO the better explanation by Alexander Vilenkin that the Universe started from "literally nothing", meaning not only the absence of matter, but the absence of space and time as well. The Universe started in totally empty geometry and then made a quantum tunneling transition to a non-empty state (subatomic in size), which through inflation (the Universe expands exponentially fast for a brief period of time which causes its size to increase dramatically) came to its current size. The objective universe is one big meme, creating new things out of itself, recreating things, destroying things that don't prove beneficial to the survival of the Universe Meme. Edited November 28, 2012 by Etu Malku 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetoroam Posted November 28, 2012 #7 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) my answer is the same as the likes I have clipped above, One thing i can most certainly definately tell you is where we did not come from....god. IMO Edited November 28, 2012 by freetoroam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iforgot Posted November 28, 2012 Author #8 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) The OP is asking a much harder question: where did everything come from? Yup! Thank you. The real problem here is how to comprehend that which appears to be incomprehensible. For me it is simple, the Universe (as we understand it) cycles through phases. We are living in an expanding phase giving plenty of time for Solar System creation and Evolution to exist, not forgetting "Time". When this phase submits itself to Entropic forces then the Universe (Ours) will contract again in preparation (not cognitive) for the next expansion. No real Mystery here, and no need to invoke a "God" principle. IMO Personally, I'm not a fan of the 'God' principle either. The idea of an egotistical, judgmental, and therefore fearful God seems a little silly to me That's not to say that I don't have an idea of where we came from though. Tom Campbell's explanation seems like the best one to me (if you want his full theory of everything, read his book 'My Big TOE' on Google books. Great book!). His idea is something to the effect of physical reality is a product of non-physical reality which is in turn a product of some primordial (beginning of time) consciousness. To really briefly summarize his idea, the primordial consciousness functions as an extremely evolved and powerful super computer. Physical reality (as well as non-physical reality) stems from a sort of simulation run by this computer to evolve consciousness to lower forms of entropy (to have a greater potential to do work). Obviously, there would be many simulations all running at the same time but I'm starting to sound like a lunatic so I'll leave these ideas here. Comprehending what created the conditions necessary for a consciousness super computer- now that's incomprehensible! I like these two theories: Stephen Hawkings' idea that the Universe has no beginning or end . . . it just IS. And IMO the better explanation by Alexander Vilenkin that the Universe started from "literally nothing", meaning not only the absence of matter, but the absence of space and time as well. The Universe started in totally empty geometry and then made a quantum tunneling transition to a non-empty state (subatomic in size), which through inflation (the Universe expands exponentially fast for a brief period of time which causes its size to increase dramatically) came to its current size. The objective universe is one big meme, creating new things out of itself, recreating things, destroying things that don't prove beneficial to the survival of the Universe Meme. Both of these ideas clearly violate the cause and effect relationship that we know must exist in physical reality. They do not explain the paranormal or mystical events at all. precognitive dreaming and Out-of-body experiences are all pretty common (for me at least), so in my opinion, a good theory of everything would explain that too. Or in the very least, give a logical reason for them to happen! Stay with me here, we are on a paranormal-centered discussion board after all. Edited November 28, 2012 by iforgot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hasina Posted November 28, 2012 #9 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Makes me think of the joke: 'When did time start?' 'Even Time doesn't remember, it was before his time.' 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Liquid Gardens Posted November 28, 2012 #10 Share Posted November 28, 2012 However, I'm really curious where, or what force, non-believers think we (and physical reality itself) came from. If everything in physical reality needs a cause to have an effect (simple laws of physics), then what was the initial cause to create the physical reality we live in? If everything in our physical reality needs a cause to have an effect, the only way for initial creation was for some outside force to essentially create our physical reality, or our reality must have broken its own laws of physics at the beginning of time. My issue with how you have phrased this is that you are including 'everything needs to have a cause' in the argument. We don't know how valid it is to apply the laws of physics of this physical universe we live in to something outside the universe or to 'before' the Big Bang occurred. If time was created at the same time as the Big Bang, then how can there even be a cause and an effect since those requires time to exist? By saying there was no cause, and knowing that our universe has not been around for an infinite amount of time means that a mystical (paranormal) force caused creation. By saying there was a cause, then something had to have created our universe (such as what many people would describe as 'God'). It seems like a simple and self defeating argument. If everything needs a cause, then what caused God or the mystical creation force to exist? If those can exist without having been caused, then why does the Big Bang need a cause? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hasina Posted November 28, 2012 #11 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Maybe WE created it, man. Wooaah... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Learning Posted November 28, 2012 #12 Share Posted November 28, 2012 your answer just sounds like a fancy way to say god, where did the primodial mind come from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alienated Being Posted November 28, 2012 #13 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) We don't know, that's the thing. Scientists may never know, but to assume that we have been created through processes of divinity due to dictation from one lone book is nothing short of ignorance. Edited November 28, 2012 by Alienated Being 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Learning Posted November 28, 2012 #14 Share Posted November 28, 2012 god is meant to be perfection and u cant be perfection with out being self existing, so god always existed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetoroam Posted November 28, 2012 #15 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Maybe WE created it, man. Wooaah... We aint that cleva! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alienated Being Posted November 28, 2012 #16 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) god is meant to be perfection and u cant be perfection with out being self existing, so god always existed. But in order for change to occur, it requires time; and time cannot exist within a singularity, as it is based on relativity... It is a complex concept that makes my brain hurt whenever I think about it. Edited November 28, 2012 by Alienated Being Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Learning Posted November 28, 2012 #17 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We don't know, that's the thing. Scientists may never know, but to assume that we have been created through processes of divinity due to dictation from one lone book is nothing short of ignorance. all the christians i know base their beliefs not just on the bible but the experiences they have that confirm the bible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hasina Posted November 28, 2012 #18 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We aint that cleva! Not yet, man, but think about it. If future you was all 'woah, past me was pretty awesome, we should hang', then when, like, future you makes a time machine, it just creates... THE PAST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Learning Posted November 28, 2012 #19 Share Posted November 28, 2012 But in order for change to occur, it requires time; and time cannot exist within a singularity, as it is based on relativity... It is a complex concept that makes my brain hurt whenever I think about it. for god to have existed for ever he would have to exist out of time, to create time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iforgot Posted November 28, 2012 Author #20 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) My issue with how you have phrased this is that you are including 'everything needs to have a cause' in the argument. We don't know how valid it is to apply the laws of physics of this physical universe we live in to something outside the universe or to 'before' the Big Bang occurred. If time was created at the same time as the Big Bang, then how can there even be a cause and an effect since those requires time to exist? If there was nothing, then how does that spawn something? If everything needs a cause, then what caused God or the mystical creation force to exist? If those can exist without having been caused, then why does the Big Bang need a cause? understanding the force that created us is clearly outside the realms of our comprehension. What we know for sure is that everything in this reality needs a cause in order to have an effect. The big bang is no exception. If it came from somewhere where things needed no cause, then that would leave a gray area for it to have spawned from somewhere mystical all the same (because everything we know in this reality needs a cause). Edited November 28, 2012 by iforgot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetoroam Posted November 28, 2012 #21 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) Not yet, man, but think about it. If future you was all 'woah, past me was pretty awesome, we should hang', then when, like, future you makes a time machine, it just creates... THE PAST. Sorry you have lost me there, maybe you are ahead of me, by 3 bottles. Edited November 28, 2012 by freetoroam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplos Posted November 28, 2012 #22 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I'm not being difficult and perhaps it is a bit OT, but "It's clear that our universe wasn't always in existence." I'd love some info about why this is clear. I was always of like mind with Stephen Hawking... it has no beginning and end. It just is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Learning Posted November 28, 2012 #23 Share Posted November 28, 2012 if the universe has always been then why is it expanding and speeding up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hasina Posted November 28, 2012 #24 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) Sorry you have lost me there, maybe you are ahead of me, by 3 bottles. Probably, personally I have no theory about where the universe came from. It's like a locked room mystery where you can only use information to solve the mystery from inside that room, no outside knowledge, nothing, just everything in that room, no assumptions based on outside info either. Edited November 28, 2012 by Hasina 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scowl Posted November 28, 2012 #25 Share Posted November 28, 2012 god is meant to be perfection No he's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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