The Borde Guth Vilenkin Theorem

http://www.reasonablefaith.org - Dr. William Lane Craig and Dr. Robert J. Spitzer show how the Borde Guth Vilenkin Theorem proves that no matter what kind of scientific model one proposes (multiverse, oscillating universe, etc.) there still has to be a beginning to it and the universe. Indeed the BVG Theorem has been a watershed in the scientific community.

The clips come from the following lectures:

How Did the Universe Begin to Exist?:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=3D6D1F904C7AC1F8

Contemporary Physics and God:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=FC0B6512095D311E

Related:

Contemporary Cosmology and the Beginning of the Universe:
http://rf.convio.net/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6115

A response to Arizona Atheist:
http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8629

Also, see William Lane Craig article "Vilenkin's Cosmic Vision: A Review Essay of Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes, by Alex Vilenkin": http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7289

Contemporary Cosmology and the Beginning of the Universe: http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6115

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Borde
• Guth
• Vilenkin
• Theorem
• BVG
• Arvind
• Alan
• Alexander
• Physics
• Multiverse
• Oscillating
• universe
• William
• Lane
• Craig
• Robert
• Spitzer
• Singularity
• Beginning
• Arizona
• Atheist
• Jim
• Sinclair
• yt:stretch=16:9

[ar2de2em2]

Correction... in their 2003 paper BV&G show that "the INFLATING REGION of spacetime must have a past boundary" and NOTHING MORE!!!

"I'm not claiming to say for sure that I know whether or not there's a beginning" - Guth

"Still the question remains; what happened before the inflation, if anything? And it appears that a satisfactory answer can never be given because I can keep asking what happened before." - Vilenkin

"I have never seen much in the idea that the universe was designed" - Guth

[drcraigvideos]

@ar2de2em2 *SIGH* It is said that an argument is what convinces reasonable men and a proof is what it takes to convince even an unreasonable man. With the proof now in place, cosmologists can no longer hide behind the possibility of a past-eternal universe.... There is no escape, they have to face the problem of a cosmic beginning." - Vilenkin. Take an effort 2 undersand the Theorem before u pawn off someone else's article, ok? If u have an expansion greater than 0, the universe began. Period.

[quantumcook]

What if the ekpyrotic universe hypothesis turns out to be true? See the book "Endless Universe-Beyond The Big Bang" by Paul J. Steinhardt and Neil Turok or just google for "Ekpyrotic Universe".This model is based on the cyclic collision of branes. If the universe has an infinite entropy (infinite number of micro-states) then the  universe does not require a beginning.

[drcraigvideos]

@quantumcook Dr. Craig has dealt with the ekpyrotic model: watch?v=EiBWdQDKO_w

[moomin468]

Good video :)

[drcraigvideos]

@moomin468 Thanks. I think the BVG theorem is a good kick in the butt to atheism. Since it's proposal atheists have been going nutts for a refutation. It's just unavoidable. No matter what kind of universe you're looking at there still has to be an absolute beginning.

[JCrownwell]

@TheVodkaHaze

I think he makes a superior orator and philosopher rather than a plumber, but you could forward that suggestion to him on his website.

[height76]

@quantumcook The branes would need an explanation of their origin. Also even if the branes could be justified as being past-complete the branes would have created an infinite number of universes, which is the reason why vacuum fluctuation models fail?

[arktheball]

@drcraigvideos Where is any hard empirical evidence for branes? Its just another imaginary excuse to avoid admitting a beginning

[LittleSn00py]

@lifeandphilosophy What does Smith say?

[Dage90]

WHOOOOOOOO. Go Fr. Robert Spitzer. He is really smart. Dr. Craig is sweet too.

[rhlogic]

The truth is that unbelievers will frantically keep of searching reasons not to believe. While believers will successfully keep on finding reasons to believe.

[quantumcook]

@drcraigvideos What if the ekpyrotic universe hypothesis turns out to be true? See the book "Endless Universe-Beyond The Big Bang" by Paul J. Steinhardt and Neil Turok or just google for "Ekpyrotic Universe".This model is based on the cyclic collision of branes. If the universe has an infinite entropy (infinite number of micro-states) then the universe does not require a beginning.