Why is there anything at all? (Introduction)

by dhw, Monday, June 30, 2008, 10:53 (5992 days ago) @ Curtis

Curtis has referred me to a website explaining the Kalam. - I tried it from your posting, and it jammed the computer. I tried David Turell's technique, got the website, but the moment I clicked onto 'Cosmological Argument' it jammed again. I tried the thread above it ... the critique of Darwinian Evolution ... same thing. Every time I try, I have to shut the computer down and start all over again. There are strange forces at work! - Obviously David and George have no such problems, and I'm following the various discussions with great interest. I don't want to go over the Kalam conclusions again, because clearly they depend on the argument I haven't been able to log onto, but you've kindly invited me to ask questions, so perhaps I could go back to "the beginning". However, it may well be that in answering George's objections you will cover this ground too, so please don't feel obliged to duplicate your response to him. - If the Big Bang was the origin of the universe as we know it, what went bang? Why should the universe as we know it not have been preceded by the universe as we don't know it? The First Cause proposed by the Kalam might be an eternal, constantly changing mass of matter and energy contained in space (not a "contingent thing"), so why bring conscious spirit into the equation? Even though we can't explain the provenance of the universe, at least we know that matter, energy and space exist, so why complicate things with an additional inexplicable mystery that we don't know exists (see Ockham's razor)? - The argument for Intelligent Design is totally different, but as far as I can tell, that is not the science or the logic behind the Kalam. I don't want to be misunderstood on this. I find it impossible to dismiss the argument for design, both in relation to the universe and to the origin of life, but I still can't follow the Kalam leap from a finite beginning and cause to eternal consciousness. - Once again, I'm sorry my computer problem is compounding the difficulties!