Why is there anything at all rather than nothing?

Answer 1

This question has not yet been answered by science or philosophy. However, this phrasing is useful as it subverts the whole theistic debate. The best approach to this question that science can render is summed up (briefly, with references) in the book "God: The Failed Hypothesis" by Victor Stenger.

"[analogy involving snowflakes]...many simple systems of particles are unstable, that is, have limited lifetimes as they undergo spontaneous phase change transitions to more complex structures of lower energy. Since "nothing" is as simple as it gets, we cannot expect it to be very stable...In the nonboundary scenario for the natural origin of the universe..., the probability for there being something rather than nothing actually can be calculated; it is over 60 percent. [notation - Stenger, The Comprehensible Cosmos]"

Why this would result in a universe stable enough to last 13 billion years (so far) is another matter of probability over a presumably unlimited amount of time. The least stable universes would quickly return to a singularity or nothingness - in other words, a 100% certain state.

Answer:

The underrated principle called Occam's Razor teaches that the simplest approach to a question will most often be the correct approach. While atheists feel compelled to engage in logical and scientific contortions, the simple approach states that "reality exists because God created it." We prefer that to ascribing the universe to strange sleight-of-hand theories which boil down to accident.

Answer 2

In case you believe in God: Obviously God wanted it to be so. In case you don't: Personally I find it hard to explain how "something" will come out of "nothing".

As I said before my first answer was removed, (no hard feelings), it is impossible to answer this question by what we would call a logical statement. We have two options - we resign ourselves to the strong probability that nobody will ever find a "logical" explanation, or - we pass the problem on to "God" and assume that he knows.

That may not be good enough though, because we will be tempted to ask Him, "Do you know why You are there rather than there being nothing?" And if He says,"Don't be silly, I've always been here," we might push our luck and say, "But why?"

Now God is a nice honest guy and I'm sure he's going to say, "Dunno! I'm stuck here and can't get out of it. With contrary creations like you hanging around, sometimes I wish I could just not be."

Seriously, there is no answer to the question. It's a silly question. As my mother often said (to me), "Ask a silly question and you get a silly answer."