Have you ever wondered why the universe exists? Or why it
contains matter, energy, and light—not to mention
intelligent life? Since his early teens, Robert Lawrence Kuhn
has been searching for answers to these and other fundamental
physical—as well as metaphysical—questions. A PhD
scientist, successful businessperson, and author, Kuhn is also
the creator and host of the PBS series Closer to Truth,
a lively examination of the meaning and implications of
state-of-the-art science.
In this exclusive interview with WIE's Tom Huston,
Kuhn delves into the question of how our universe came into
being—and explores what kind of universe ours may actually
be. They discuss a broad range of possible theories, from the
single universe model to the multitude of multiple universe
theories to the assignment of nonphysical causes for the
creation of the universe (i.e., God or other subtle forms of
causality), and finally to the notion that all apparent
existence is ultimately unreal and illusory. As Kuhn seeks to
establish a rigorous, inclusive, and integral landscape, his
“taxonomy of possible explanations” for why our
universe exists intentionally excludes any specific bias. It is
a compelling overview of the cutting edge of serious
cosmological inquiry. For a detailed breakdown of Kuhn's
collection of cosmic causes, you can download a PDF of his
article Why This Universe?
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