Is there a greater force creating the universe? Can the universe develop it's self?

I am reminded of Rub Goldberg's machine while reading your question. They are complex machines that are built to compete a simple task, such as closing a door or changing the channel. All of these machines have someone to start them but after starting them, for the most part they are on their own to complete their task.

Your question is that is their an initiator or is the universe just running in a cycle.

The thing that is generally accept by the general scientific community is that the universe runs in a cycle, either from creating itself to destroying itself or being mass produced similarly how cells divide. (Check out M- Theory or just watch a few "Through the Wormhole" episodes. They generalize things well.)

For me, I've played around with so many theories that I've just came to the point of not caring. I mean, the universe could be created a second ago and we wouldn't even know it. We would always believe in the past because we recall it, but that information could have been just installed within us the moment of creation (1 second ago).

Also, in a sense the universe IS being created every second. While typing this the universe is in a different state than the one when you are reading this. Things have changed, and I have became a different person from the way I am now. Just changed the way you feel and you noticed different things within the universe, but the pure information of it tends to be constant. That's why we believe in the objective universe.

So if I had to state one theory that I believe in it's that the universe is being created every second and depending on what you do right now changes how the universe will be born again the next one (but that's not really a theory towards your question now is it?)

Welp have a nice day.....

I don't know if there is a greater force and have no quarrel with the universe creating itself.

This Universe has been here long before the right atomic elements happen to combine; and, be sparked by a static charge of electrons, producing a 'being' of a parastatic charge contained within a self generating magnetic field. This is the first time 'awareness' or a consciousness came into being.

The physics deal in the Quantum; and, can only be defined if you understood the role that 'Dark Matter', and, 'Dark Energy' have in the course of the evolution of the cosmos; and, all the physical things in it, and all the paraphysical that exists in other detentions.

The 'physical universe' "did" create 'itself; and there is not enough room here to expand; but, I can feel that you have a vivid enough imagination to 'grasp' the concept.

How about a law or set of laws, that mankind does not know of yet...which is basically the programming language of the universe. Sure, a greater force or hand that comes to create following laws.

The universe can develop it's self! For crying out loud, where do think all the life came from on this earth?!?! all the diversity on earth is MIRRORED into the universe....therefore the universe IS developing....elsewhere on other worlds like ours....no doubt. new stars and new planets exhibiting perhaps a myriad of differences and simularities....of course, only through the passage of time......

You'll be better off asking this in the physics section or the astronomy and space section, but I'll give you an answer.

Ask yourself, what are the minimum requirements for a universe? Well, it's a set of initial conditions, and a law of evolution (a physical law that tells you how things change through time).

For instance, the simplest possible universe you can think of is one where nothing exists and nothing changes, so,

Initial conditions: Nothing exists.

Law of evolution: Nothing changes.

A slightly less simple universe is one consisting of just one coin by itself, and nothing else in a universe with discreet time separation. In this case:

Initial conditions: Coin either begins on heads or tails.

A possible law of evolution: The coin stays in it's initial state

Another possible law of evolution: The coin alternates between heads and tails after each time frame

In our universe, the law of evolution is given by a differential equation called the Schrodinger equation in quantum mechanics, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger_equa...

Given those two things, initial conditions and a law of evolution, the universe naturally and, in principle, deterministically changes though time. So you don't need a "greater force" for the universe to develop, you just need initial conditions and a law of evolution.

The problem I have with a theist's God, is that He created a Universe so incredibly immense. Virtually all of it is superfluous to the centre of His attraction, namely mankind. Why on Earth would this God be so interested in the thoughts, morals and sexual appetites, of a single species within only the last 3,000 years of 200,000 years of human existence, and in a Universe He created 13.7 billion years ago.

So a Deist's God would make more sense, but would not be interested in our species ruling out Judaism, Christianity and Islam, plus, Hinduism and Buddhism etc.. So for me, the logical belief is that there is no intelligent creator. Science based on evidence is the only logical way to understand the development of the Universe, and I must say, science seems to be doing a very good job of it.

There is a force controlling the universe but it is a natural universal force. This force is what has driven the universe to be how it is.

The universe is amazing. Life is amazing and the same force is responsibile for both. The method by which both developed is pure quality - so good in fact that it is still beyond even the most brilliant minds to define it.

I believe that things like ancient stories have a bit of truth in them. Ancient mankind described thing in terms that they understood. A flying carpet might have actually been an alien that rode through the sky. Each culture had their own words to explain things that they never had seen.

The universe to me is in constant of evolution. There was no beginning and there is no end. I believe that God keeps things in balance, which at some times seems totally out of balance.

I am a creationist/evolutionist

Nothing is ever created!

And is the universe all there is?

-- what else do you want? it's ALL INCLUSIVE, it includes your question! your imagination! your desires! your "wants"!! it includes US!

Or is the universe within something else?

-- No! ALL INCLUSIVE, it includes the "within something else"

Is it all God?

--Know by thyself!!

I've always thought of Him as an over seer who listens and understand all.

-- There are no secrets! there can't be!! one need not to understand to know!

Alright, just do your homework.

“The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me” - Meister Eckhart

The simple answer is yes. It could be.

Deistic nonsense - believe or do not believe. It makes no difference.