You trying to start arguments again? :-) Ok, here's the deal: we need a word besides "universe" to include the notion of "everything which exists". The word I like is Reality (with a capital R). Then I'm going to cheat by rephrasing your question (risking a rating bash), and answer the question "why does Reality exist?". Reality transcends and includes all cause and effect, including the notion of purpose ("why does it exist" seeks a purpose) in that cause-and-effect is a subset of Reality, not the other way around. Because Reality transcends and includes purpose, cause-and-effect, time-and-space, and all the other dimensions of duality, it cannot have a purpose or reason for existence. If Reality did have a reason to exist, then the target of that reason would have to be considered non-existent (because by definition, Reality is everything that exists, nothing can be allowed outside of it). A non-existent purpose is logically a non-purpose. Q.E.D, Reality cannot possibly have a purpose.

This is not trying to cram Christianity down your throat, only giving you an insight into what the Bible says: From a Biblical perspective, the universe exists because God created it and He created it for Jesus. Col 1:15-16 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by[f] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.

Good question - but in all seriousness, does it HAVE to have a reason? Can it not be nothing more than "well, that's what happened..."? It's the old anthropic principle. If the universe were not here, we wouldn't be here to ask why not. If it was any different, we wouldn't be here asking why it is the way it is...

Why not.

As Stableboy kind of did, let's slightly rephrase it with "why does existence exist?" Well, running the risk of sounding deeply Platonist (or Eleatic), "existence" is that which exists. As such, it cannot allow nonexistence, i.e. it exists because that's what existence does. Basically, this is "necessary being", logically dictated by the admittedly circular definition of "existence". I would sort of argue here that existence may be that one property that ultimately can't be defined, at least without a circular definition. But if someone could give me a good definition, I'll change my mind! Maybe I'll post a question. If you are looking for a purposive answer to the "why" question, the answer is that it is too poorly defined to have any real answer or meaning. The words "why", "universe", and "exist" are all either not defined at all, or not defined in context, as to point out what is meant by the question. Embarassingly, "does" and "the" are just empty meaningless placeholders here, so literally the whole question seems, at least to me on the face of it, completely devoid of semantic value. What is meant by this question? Can the terms be defined better?

Send your thank you notes to DrMaxwell@yahoo.com.

Hmm, I seem to interpret the question completely differently to others ( which seem to include considering the meaning of the question in terms of the human condition / experience, ). The universe exists because it has a good chance of existing, given the "initial" conditions, such as a set of allowable dimensions, and a set of allowable forms of energy and matter. Some people argue that the *particular* form the universe has taken, over time, excludes all other possible forms that exclude human life.

to entertain

The creator was bored and wanted something to keep Himself busy... and He wanted company.

The universe exists because God created it.