The Emergence of Time and the Big Bang: A Synthesis of Events, Existence, and Cosmological Evidence

13 August 2024

Events necessitate the existence of time, rather than time dictating the occurrence of events. The very notion of time emerges only through the presence of events; without events—i.e., without changes in existence—time would hold no significance. In a hypothetical scenario devoid of events, where no change occurs in existence, time would not manifest. Time is, therefore, inherently tied to the occurrence of events, marking the changes within existence. The initiation of the universe, as proposed by the Big Bang, represents the first event, signifying the inception of time itself.

The Big Bang theory postulates a primordial state of uneventful existence preceding the Big Bang event, which catalysed the unfolding of the universe. This suggests that time commenced with the advent of both existence and events, rather than with the mere existence of events. The theory does not suggest the presence of events before the Big Bang; hence, any pre-Big Bang existence without events would not give rise to the concept of time. Consequently, without empirical evidence of events predating the Big Bang, it is futile to conceptualize time in that context, as time cannot account for what preceded the Big Bang in the absence of events.

The assertion that 'the Big Bang is a mathematical calculation based on reverse engineering of an expanding Universe' is an oversimplification.

Three pivotal scientific discoveries strongly underpin the Big Bang theory:

1. Hubble's discovery in the 1920s of the relationship between a galaxy's distance from Earth and its velocity, evidencing the expansion of space.
2. The detection of cosmic microwave background radiation in the 1960s.
3. The observed abundances of elements in the universe.

These discoveries can be succinctly summarized as:

• The redshift of galaxies.
• The cosmic microwave background.
• The distribution of elements.
• The ability to observe the universe's history.

The redshift observed in the light from distant galaxies indicates that the universe is expanding, making distant galaxies appear closer in time. The Big Bang theory predicts the existence of a pervasive 'glow,' detectable as microwave radiation, which has been confirmed by astronomers using orbiting detectors. Furthermore, the chemical elements such as hydrogen and helium, formed shortly after the Big Bang, differ in abundance from those in newer stars, which contain material synthesized by older stars. The evidence from these distant galaxies aligns more consistently with the Big Bang theory than with the steady-state theory.