TFNR - Why there is something rather than nothing
I believe that the question "Why is there something rather than nothing?" can be considered a secondary question. In this system of knowledge, the answer is: "because everything emerges from a source, from the Source, the Primary Source of Reality".
Thus, the real question to ask is: "Why is there a source?" Or more precisely, "Why is there the Source?" Every other question we can imagine is a sub-question - a secondary, derived inquiry. We might endeavor to answer any other question successfully, but the ultimate reason why there is a source of existence, in my opinion, will forever remain unanswered. It is, and will always be, a mystery - the one mystery we must accept as irresolvable... our limit in knowledge...
We may call it the Source, God, Chaos, Indetermination, First Mover, Nature, Force... It may be conceived as a willful being or as an impersonal force... Yet, to us, it is and will always remain the unknown - the unknowable. It precedes Causality, Spatiality, and Temporality. It exists beyond anything we can conceive, observe, or measure. It is truly the Limit — the boundary of Reality, encompassing both the Physical and the Cognitive - the edge of physical dimensions and our understanding of Reality and the Universe.
In this sense, I think that scientific and religious answers about the source of Reality must be regarded as fundamentally equivalent. Every individual must have the freedom to choose the answer they prefer - the one informed by their culture, reasoning, or heart. No one - not science, nor any institution - should dictate what someone must believe regarding the origin of Reality and the Universe. Spiritual freedom is and must be one of the most vital and fundamental rights.
We can debate interpretation of facts, observations, and measurements. This is where science - with its distinctive methods, rigor, and precision - can make a real difference, illuminating the obscurities of Reality and dispelling misguided, superstitious views that often hold individuals in ignorance and subjugation. However, this must always be done with the utmost respect for traditional cultures and for alternate perspectives on Reality, a rich treasure of products of the vast evolution of human thought.
We must never forget that our cognitive systems, through the history of humankind and the broader evolution of life on this planet, have developed through various stages and processes. Perceptions, sensations, emotions, and thoughts are all equally vital to us. The contemporary emphasis on rationality is sometimes merely superficial, as the emotional and unconscious aspects of our being often serve as the true forces driving our behavior.
Thus, irrational, superstitious, and magical visions of Nature must be accepted for what they are - always "Representations of Reality", product of our cognitive systems. In the physical domain of Reality, we may universally prefer descriptions and explanations derived from the rigorous application of the scientific method. However, in the cognitive and especially in the spiritual realm - regarding the origin of Nature - I believe science cannot provide definitive answers and must yield to individual spiritual freedom.
In conclusion, in my view, everything that exists, emerging from the Source through the creative and evolutive sub-processes that constitute the Process of Formation of Reality, is, in principle, knowable, even if not directly observable or measurable. Everything except the origin of the Source itself. I believe we will one day describe every physical process and perhaps even the primary properties of the Source. This will merely require time and diligence. However, it is my opinion that the origin of the Source of Existence and Essence / Form will forever remain a mystery - and we must learn to accept it.
Links to the tables of contents of TFNR Paper
