Re-examining Cosmic Beginnings: Beyond the Big Bang Theory
Recently, a thought-provoking commentary titled "The universe did not start with the Big Bang — Feynman explains why" has reignited discussions about our cosmic origins. This piece references the brilliant American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman, who won the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics, bringing renewed attention to fundamental questions about how everything began.
The Scientific Foundation: Red-Shift and Cosmic Expansion
The prevailing Big Bang theory posits that our universe began with a massive explosion approximately 13.8 billion years ago, followed by continuous expansion that continues to this day. This scientific framework originated from Edwin Hubble's groundbreaking discovery in the late 1920s, when he observed that light from distant galaxies appeared red-shifted.
Red-shift occurs when the wavelength of light stretches as its source moves away from the observer, causing the light to appear redder. Conversely, blue-shift happens when the light source moves toward the observer, compressing the wavelength. This phenomenon parallels the Doppler Effect in sound waves, similar to how an ambulance siren's pitch changes as it approaches and then moves away from us.
Hubble's observations revealed that galaxies are moving away from each other in every direction we observe, suggesting the universe must be expanding. Scientists often illustrate this expansion using the analogy of a balloon being inflated, with dots on its surface representing galaxies that move farther apart as the balloon expands.
The Singularity Conundrum and Philosophical Implications
If we reverse this expansion timeline, we find that galaxies were once closer together. Extrapolating back 13.8 billion years leads to what scientists call a singularity—a point of infinite density where all matter was concentrated. According to the theory, this singularity exploded in the Big Bang, initiating the cosmic expansion we observe today.
However, this scientific explanation raises profound philosophical questions that the recent commentary explores. The fundamental inquiry—what created that initial singularity?—remains largely unaddressed by purely scientific approaches. The commentary delves into philosophical cosmology, examining whether the universe could have started itself or required an external initiator.
The argument against self-creation follows logical reasoning: if the universe started itself, there would have been nothing before it to initiate that start. This creates a paradox, as Saint Thomas Aquinas noted, leading to the absurd conclusion that nothing should exist today. Yet we clearly observe an existing universe, suggesting it must have begun 13.8 billion years ago if scientific measurements are accurate.
Beyond Naturalism: Considering External Origins
The commentary suggests that since the universe couldn't have started itself, there must be something external that initiated its existence. This perspective challenges purely naturalistic views that consider only the physical universe, proposing instead that a greater being—what scholastic philosophers called God—must exist outside the fabric of space-time.
This theological conclusion connects to the opening verse of the Gospel of John: "In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum" (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God). The commentary ultimately argues that while science explains how the universe expanded, it cannot fully address why or what initiated that expansion, leaving room for philosophical and theological considerations about ultimate origins.
