(/)

Atlas (/atlas) Encyclopedia (/encyclopedia) Dictionary (/dictionary)

Thesaurus (/thesaurus) Day in History (/dayinhistory)

Videos (/video-archive)

Search

Home (/) > Science (/science-resources) > Astronomy And Space (/science
/astronomy-and-space-resources) > The Universe (/universe-resources)

Cite (/citing-page)

Theories of the Universe: Scientic Origins of the

Universe

Scientic Origins of the Universe

As far back as recorded history goes, there have been
Theories of the Universe
two sets of opposing ideas, beliefs, theories, or
teachings about the origin of the universe. It has Scientic Origins of the
either existed eternally with no beginning or end, or it Universe
was created at some point in time and will eventually
Bang That Drum
come to an end. In the rst part we examined the
(/science/universe
early cultural, religious, and somewhat philosophical
/theories-universe-
views of how the universe began. We've also spent a
bang-drum)
little time looking at some ideas about our own
beginnings from a religious and scientic point of A Big Bang Alternative
view. In this section, we're going to take a brief (/science/universe
excursion through the various theories that science /theories-universe-big-
has put forth to explain the origin of the universe. bang-alternative)
The Accelerating
By far the most popular theory in science today is the
Universe (/science
big bang theory, the idea that the universe came into
/universe/theories-
existence at a certain point in time roughly 15 to 20
universe-accelerating-
billion years ago. In the last 25 years this theory has
universe)
moved to the forefront of cosmology. You'll meet
some of the key gures whose theories have laid the Plasma Cosmology
foundation for the big bang. However, as you'll see as (/science/universe
we move through this section, this theory is not only /theories-universe-
a product of science but also of the times in which we plasma-cosmology)
live. And although science would like to consider itself The Standard Model
removed from outside inuences, it can't help but be (/science/universe
aected by the people who work in the eld. /theories-universe-
 standard-model)
The Alpha and the
Omega (/science
/universe/theories-
universe-alpha-and-
omega)
It's Out of Control
(/science/universe
/theories-universe-its-
out-control)

Black Holes

It has happened more than once

in the history of science that
because of the fame of an
individual's contribution, theory,
or breakthrough in some area of
science, they push their views
over those of other lesser-known
individuals. This happens
regardless of the correctness of
their explanation. Isaac Newton
refused to listen to rebuttals
against some of his ideas, as did
Neils Bohr and even Albert
Einstein. Somewhere along the
way, the search for truth in
science gets lost in the person
identifying with the truth of
their ideas.

The Cosmological Pendulum

I don't think I have to reiterate for you again the
two major ways in which the study of cosmology Universal Constants
can be approached, I'm sure you remember what Zeitgeist is a German word that
they are. In our present day, these two methods means literally the spirit of the
have manifested, and in some cases crystallized into times. It can also refer to a
two distinct areas of science: experimentation and trend of thought and feeling
mathematical theory. Theorists often have nothing during a period. It describes the
general mood of a culture or
to do with actual experimentation and the same can
society based on one or many
be said of experimenters. And it is this distinction
inuences coming from science,
that has been a source of disagreement between religion, art, politics, or even
various scientic groups who put forth one view of economics.
the origin of the universe over another. To see
exactly what I'm talking about, let's trace the
development of the big bang theory through its various stages. Along the way you'll
get a chance to meet an opposing theory, and examine some of the reasons why the
big bang was developed in the rst place.

Science as a methodology likes to see itself as a revealer of the true nature of the
universe, as sort of a seer that can look beneath the veil of appearance. Yet science is
practiced by scientists, human beings who bring with themselves a whole set of
predispositions, values and beliefs. And as in any cross section of our society, some
will be seriously invested in their positions and viewpoints, taking themselves rather
seriously and purporting the correctness of their views. Of course, there are as
many who don't take this stance and seek to move beyond any personal attachment
to who they are and what they've discovered.

Much of the history of cosmology and its theories

are a reection of these types of people and the Universal Constants
cultures they lived in. Often the most widely Ex nihilo is a Latin term that
accepted theory becomes exactly that, because of translated means out of
the forceful personality behind the ideas. And while nothing. It was an idea
science tries to remain free of inuence from things presented by St. Augustine that
outside of it, the scientists who practice it are still a became Church doctrine later on.
product of the culture and the times in which they It is his philosophical
explanation of how God created
live. In other words, in relation to the theories in
everything out of nothing, which
cosmology, whether the universe has always existed interestingly enough can be
or began with a bang, can't be separated from the applied to the big bang as well.
inuence of the zeitgeist, or spirit of the times. Where did everything contained
While there isn't enough time to go back through in the big bang come from and
history in detail and show you how the cosmological why did it bang in the rst place?
pendulum has swung from one theory to the other, I
can give you a rough outline and a few examples of
some time periods in which this occurred. Just remember that there are always many
factors impacting how any specic paradigm develops.

In ancient Greece the two basic concepts of the empirical (observation and
practical application) and deductive (theoretical and mathematical) methods
were intimately linked to the conict between free citizens and the slave
populace. The empirical system developed alongside the free craftsman and
traders, while the deductive method, which can disregard observation and
practical application, arose with the slave master's disdain for manual labor.
The Ptolemaic system was strongly inuenced by the deductive method
(theory and math as opposed to observation). Also at this time, we nd the
introduction of today's central theme in cosmology, the origin of the universe
out of nothing. This ideology was developed out of the somewhat pessimistic
and authoritarian worldviews of two founding Church Fathers, Tertullian and
St. Augustine. The doctrine of creation ex nihilo served as the basis for a
 religious social system that saw the world as decaying from a perfect
beginning to an ignominious end.
During the rise of science, two central concepts of medieval cosmology were
overthrownthe idea of a decaying universe, nite in space and time, and the
belief that the world could be known through reason and authority. The
deductive, nite Ptolemaic system was replaced with the empirical, eternal,
and innite universe that was evolving by natural processes. It was a universe
knowable by observation and experiment. The triumph of science was linked to
the overthrow of the feudal system, out of which developed free labor and a
society of merchants, craftsmen, and free peasants who questioned
authoritarian powerreligious, political, and economic.
Today's view of cosmology is much closer to the systems of Ptolemy and
Augustine than Galileo and Kepler. The big bang universe is a nite one that
will eventually end in either the big chill or the big crunch, (we'll examine both
of these theories in Supersymmetry, Superstrings, and Holograms (/science
/universe/theories-universe-accelerating-universe)) which like the medieval
cosmos is nite in time. The universe of popular cosmology is the product of a
single unique event, dissimilar from anything else that has ever occurredjust
as the medieval universe was seen as a product of creation.

And nally just to show you how what I outlined above can be revealed in the lives of
the people living at some of those times, here are a few quotes from some famous
people.

What makes God comprehensible is that he cannot be comprehended.

Tertullian, c. 200 C.E.

If I can't laugh in heaven, I don't want to go there.

Martin Luther, c. 1460

Religion teaches men how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go.

Galilei Galileo, c. 1630

The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.

Albert Einstein, 1935

The more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it also seems pointless.

Steven Weinberg, 1977

We may now be near the end of the search for the ultimate laws of nature.

Stephen Hawking, 1988

(http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay
/0,,9780028642420,00.html)

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Theories of the Universe 2001 by
Gary F. Moring. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in
part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin
Group (USA) Inc.

To order this book direct from the publisher, visit the Penguin USA website
(http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780028642420,00.html)
or call 1-800-253-6476. You can also purchase this book at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com
/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0028642422/ref=ase_infopleasecom-20/103-3225337-0999867?v=glance&
s=books) and Barnes & Noble (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch
/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780028642420&afsrc=1&lkid=J12871747&pubid=K163679&byo=1).

We Are Sorry,

This video is restricted from playing in your

location

Ecode: 18

VideoLibrary (https://www.infoplease.com/video-archive)
Calculator (/calculator)
Place Finder (/atlas/latitude-longitude)
Periodic Table (/periodictable)
Perpetual Calendar (/calendar)
Homework Help (/homework-help)
 Spelling Checker (/spellcheck)
Distance Calculator (/atlas/calculate-distance)
Conversion Tool (/conversion-calculator)
Year by Year (/yearbyyear)
Current Events (/world/current-events-world-us-science-and-business-
news)

Fact Monster (//www.factmonster.com/)

Infoplease Sources

Video Library (/video-archive)

A large collection of informational and educational videos from animals and

landmarks to language arts and history.

Almanacs
(/info-please-
almanac)
A vast compendium of statistics and up-to-date facts and gures, on
everything you need to know.

Dictionary
(/dictionary)
An unabridged dictionary from aalii to zymurgy, including a pronunciation
guide.

Atlas
(/atlas)
An atlas featuring maps and detailed proles of all 193 countries and the 50
U.S. states.

Encyclopedia
(/encyclopedia)
A current and comprehensive encyclopedia covering all the major branches
of knowledge from astrophysics to Zimbabwe.

Popular Areas (/)

50 States (/us/us-states-maps-stats) Country Proles (/countries)

Encyclopedia (/encyclopedia)
Thesaurus (/thesaurus)
Homework Center (/homework-help)
Dictionary (/dictionary)
Year-by-Year (/yearbyyear)
Watch and Learn
(https://www.infoplease.com/video-
archive)

Infoplease Tools (/)

Calculator (/calculator) Spelling Checker (/spelling-check)

Distance Calculator (/atlas/calculate- Periodic Table (/periodictable)
distance) Place Finder (/atlas/latitude-longitude)
Conversion Tool (/conversion-calculator) Perpetual Calendar (/calendar)
Cite (/citing-infoplease)

FEN Learning (/)

Funbrain Jr. - Preschool & Pre-K (http://www.funbrainjr.com/)

Funbrain - K-8 Games for Kids (https://www.funbrain.com/)
Poptropica - Virtual World for Kids (http://www.poptropica.com/)
FamilyEducation - Parenting Advice (https://www.familyeducation.com/)
TeacherVision - Teacher Resources (https://www.teachervision.com/)
Fact Monster - Homework Help (https://www.factmonster.com)

About Infoplease (/aboutip.html),

Part of FEN Learning (http://www.fen.com)

RSS (/infoplease-rss-feeds) Contact

(https://sandboxnetworks.custhelp.com
/app/ask/p/27)
Advertise with Infoplease (/advertising- Terms of Use* (http://fen.com/resources
infopleasecom) /agreeDisclaim.html)
Privacy** (http://fen.com/resources Site Map (/sitemaps)
/privacyStatement.html) Partnerships (/partners)
Disclaimer (http://www.fen.com Take Our Website Satisfaction Survey
/agreeDisclaim.html) (https://www.surveymonkey.com
/r/CMB2ZSS)
*
Updated 10/2015

**
Updated 10/2015

(https://www.facebook.com/InfoPleaseOcial/)

(https://twitter.com/Info_Please)

(https://www.pinterest.com/infopleasecom)

20002017 Sandbox Networks, Inc., publishing as Infoplease