52  Singularity and Inflation
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In the context of cosmology, the existence of the universe started with a big bang. All matter and energy, all space and time were supposedly ignited in a single spot with infinite temperature and density, the so-called singularity. However, today, there is no known mechanism which could lead out of such a singularity. Moreover, it remains unclear whether the natural laws known today came into existence before, during or after the inflation following the singularity. Generally, the border character of scientific questions concerning origin implicates many uncertainties.


The big bang specialist Joseph Silk believes that “based on rational assumptions, a singularity in the past is unavoidable” (1). With this he means a concentration of matter, energy, space and time, i.e., something which escapes any scientific test ore mathematical modelling.

In the history of philosophy, a simple question concerning God was treated for many centuries: “If God created everything, who created God?” This question would have to be asked in the same manner concerning the singularity. It is obvious that it is not possible to answer either question on a scientific basis.

The famous physicists Stephen Hawking wrote, “In the case of the singularity (at the beginning), general relativity and the other physical laws were not effective. It is not possible to predict what will emerge from this singularity” (2).


Inflation:

In addition to the uncertainty of what will evolve from a singularity, the question also remains regarding a mechanism which could have led out of this singularity (3). During inflation that follows the singularity according to the standard model, the universe supposedly expanded at a rate greater than the speed of light during the first fraction of a second. It is not possible to reproduce this process with the natural laws known today (4). It is also unknown how this inflation could have stopped. 


Law of conservation of energy (first law of thermodynamics):

One of the best-proven natural laws is the law of conservation of energy. It states that matter and energy are never lost nor can they be created. Matter, heat, electricity, light, and sound are various forms of energy that can be converted from one form into another, but never get lost or created anew.

The natural laws known today make no exception. Regardless of whether the universe was created by God, or by a singularity and inflation, the formation of matter/energy in the universe contradicts the natural laws known today.


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References:

(1) Joseph Silk, The Big Bang, W.H. Freeman & Co, New York, 2001, page 397.
(2) Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of Time, Bantam Press London, 1988, page 122.
(3) Alex Williams, John Hartnett, Dismantling the Big Bang, Master Books, 2006, page 13.
(4) Ref (3), page. 117.
 
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