Back to the Big Bang

Published in today's (Monday) Irish Independent under the heading Back to the Big Bang. The section in italics was edited out by the Indo, but it explains where the final points in my letter come from. I was reacting to provocation rather than seeking to be provocative.

"Jason Fitzharris (Letters, September 13) seems to have misinterpreted my intent. I didn't seek to ask what, or who, caused the Big Bang.

I merely pointed out that science is willing to accept the Big Bang hypothesis without being able to explain or prove it, but seems unwilling to extend the same courtesy to those who believe in God.

He states that “ before the Big Bang there was nothing, so there is nothing to measure”. The Big Bang hypothesis explains how our universe, as we now know it, came into being but it does not explain where the original matter, which is now represented by that universe, came from or what form it took.

One of the fundamental principles of science is that matter can neither be created or destroyed. So matter existed in some form "before Big Bang" or that core principle is false.

Which is it to be?"

Regards, etc.