First, the point made about no time existing prior to the Big Bang applies just as readily to the Standard Model as it does to Hawking's newer model (which fudges math to create imaginary time and a "no boundary" version of the beginning). This new version accomplished nothing (no pun intended), because under any model it is nonsense to ask "What existed before time?" (because "before" is a temporal term, obviously). However, the question of WHY is there a universe at all? (i.e. what is the REA... (read more)
sigh this is an unfortunate reply
First, the point made about no time existing prior to the Big Bang applies just as readily to the Standard Model as it does to Hawking's newer model (which fudges math to create imaginary time and a "no boundary" version of the beginning). This new version accomplished nothing (no pun intended), because under any model it is nonsense to ask "What existed before time?" (because "before" is a temporal term, obviously). However, the question of WHY is there a universe at all? (i.e. what is the REA... (read more)