2 sources ...

In my paper, I will give my thoughts on whether or not the Universe has a purpose. The two articles I chose to use as sources both lean towards no, there is not a purpose, but neither say for sure that there isn't one. As complex as the Universe is, we can not say with 100% certainty that there is or is not a purpose. The first response I am using as a source states that a purpose is "Unlikely." This is a response by Lawrence M. Krauss, the Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Case Western Reserve University. The next response is by Neil deGrasse Tyson, an Astrophysicist and the Director of New York City's Hayden Planetarium, who says "Not Sure."

Krauss states in his response that "even if the universe has a hidden purpose, everything we know about the cosmos suggests that we do not play a central role in it." He says this because life on Earth is very insignificant in the workings of the universe as a whole. It could end in an instant and everything else would continue on as if nothing had happened. In fact, life on Earth will end, just like it most likely has on other planets as well, and the universe will keep on turning. Surely if the universe was made to have a purpose, we are not a major role in this scheme. However, he continues on to say that this lack of purpose "should neither depress us nor suggest that our lives are purposeless." We may not have a divine plan that we are a part of, but we do find ourselves with intelligence and self-awareness, which Krauss says that that alone is awe-inspiring and reason to rejoice.

Tyson begins his response by illustrating how humans being a central part of the purpose of the universe is a pretty absurd thought. "Of course humans were not around to ask these questions for 99.9999% of cosmic history. So if the purpose of the universe was to create humans then the cosmos was embarrassingly inefficient about it." Humans have only been around for a blink of the universe's eye, so then why should we think that we are a big player in it's purpose? He argues that that the universe is a hostile place, and that for every event that seems to happen in our best interest, there is an event that would just as soon kill us. While he can not say for sure whether or not the universe has a purpose, anyone who sees the universe for what it is, and not what they want it to be, would see that the case against it having a purpose is a strong one.