Pourquoi y-a-t-il quelque chose au lieu de rien ? En d'autres termes : pourquoi l'univers existe-t-il  (et pourquoi sommes nous dedans) ? Le philosophe et écrivain Jim Holt développe cette question et envisage trois réponses. Ou quatre. Ou aucune.

Pourquoi l'univers existe-t-il ?

The quest to understand why there is something rather than nothing has fascinated philosophers and scientists alike, from Schopenhauer to Stephen Hawking. Rather than a universe created by a deity or purely by mathematical elegance, evidence suggests we inhabit a chaotic, imperfect cosmos—more like a cosmic junk shot than a finely tuned masterpiece. Observations from Antarctic telescopes support the inflationary theory, predicting a vast universe filled mostly with randomness, not purpose. In this view, existence is less a grand design and more a lucky outcome in a sea of cosmic possibilities.