(July 12, 2013 at 10:59 pm)Consilius Wrote: I am equating the universe with all existence. Nothing exists outside of it (all existence, I mean).
You are considering something that is uncaused. You say the uncaused thing is either the universe or the Big Bang, which both came to be at finite points in time. I am considering the uncaused thing is the cause of the Big Bang and therefore, the cause of the universe.
Whatever the uncaused thing was, it caused something else. The causation that the uncaused thing caused needed time. Where did time come from? Is it possible that the uncaused thing caused time and then caused either the Big Bang or the universe?
No, you are considering that this "uncaused" thing is a sentient, omnipotent and omniscient being, which is unjustified.
But like I said, cause and effect is dependent upon time, and considering time did not exist at the point of the big bang, our understanding of cause and effect breaks down when we try to explain these circumstances.