Recently, the Templeton Foundation asked Neil deGrasse Tyson, “Does the universe have a purpose?” Here is his answer, as illustrated by Minute Physics.
For those of you who don’t feel like watching the video, his answer is basically, “Probably not.”
Now I could engage in some character assassination here. For example, when Dr. Tyson made a guest appearance on Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me! he got all his questions wrong, so how smart can he really be? Also, this is the [expletive deleted] who decided Pluto’s not a planet. But I won’t go there. In fact, I have a lot of admiration and respect for Dr. Tyson; I just disagree with him about this one issue. And also Pluto.
I happen to be a religious man. I go to church (almost) every Sunday. My prayers and meditation have brought me a greater sense of peace in my life, but I can’t say they’ve enlightened me as to the purpose of the universe. And yet whenever I stand outside gazing up at the stars, I know the universe is big and complicated and beautiful beyond words, and I feel it deep in my thumping heart, in the strength of my bones, in the very chemistry of my body that there is a purpose. That all this couldn’t be for nothing.
The real question to me is not, “Does the universe have a purpose?” but, “What is that purpose?” That I do not know. Science can’t give me that answer, and I’m not sure religion can either. I expect I’ll live my entire life never finding the answer, yet I remain convinced the answer does exist.
How about you? Do you think the universe has a purpose? What do you think it might be?
Purpose implies that it was created by some intelligence. If you believe in God and science, you would presumably answer that the purpose of the universe is that it is a physical reality that is capable of supporting life?
I don’t believe in God and can’t conceive of the universe having a purpose, but I still find it unbelievably beautiful, mysterious and awe-inspiring.