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)
Did you actually read the essay?
However fundamental you think the "causal principle" may be, modern physics is not done that way.
You're making statements about events or phenomena that happen within the universe, and then taking a gigantic, unfounded leap to apply the same principles to the universe itself. How could we possibly have a prior reason to expect the absence of all existence? Not the existence of some specific thing, but existence, in the broadest sense.
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)