A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather than Nothing

by Lawrence Krauss

The universe is the way it is, whether we like it or not. The existence or nonexistence of a creator is independent of our desires. A world without God or purpose may seem harsh or pointless, but that alone doesn’t require God to actually exist.

invoking “God” to avoid difficult questions of “how” is merely intellectually lazy.

I usually never get that far in my discussion, of course, because data rarely impress people who have decided in advance that something is wrong with the picture.

At the heart of quantum mechanics is a rule that sometimes governs politicians or CEOs—as long as no one is watching, anything goes.

what is really useful is not pondering this question, but rather participating in the exciting voyage of discovery that may reveal specifically how the universe in which we live evolved and is evolving and the processes that ultimately operationally govern our existence. That is why we have science. We may supplement this understanding with reflection and call that philosophy. But only via continuing to probe every nook and cranny of the universe that is accessible to us will we truly build a useful appreciation of our own place in the cosmos.

A universe without purpose or guidance may seem, for some, to make life itself meaningless. For others, including me, such a universe is invigorating. It makes the fact of our existence even more amazing, and it motivates us to draw meaning from our own actions and to make the most of our brief existence in the sun, simply because we are here, blessed with consciousness and with the opportunity to do so.

Bronowski’s point, however, is that it doesn’t really matter either way, and what we would like for the universe is irrelevant. Whatever happened, happened, and it happened on a cosmic scale.

As Camus imagined, Sisyphus was smiling, and so should we. Our journey, whatever the outcome, provides its own reward.