The present state of the universe
Published
16 October 2026
“We may regard the present state of the universe as the effect of its past and the cause of its future.”
Why it stays with me
Laplace went on to imagine an intellect that knew every force and every particle at one moment, and could therefore calculate the entire future and past. It became the classic picture of scientific determinism.
The Grand Design uses Laplace as its starting point for this idea, and then shows how quantum mechanics complicates it. We can still predict, but only probabilities, not certainties.
What stays with me is how far the idea of laws can reach. Even if Laplace’s perfect calculator can’t exist, the belief that the universe follows rules rather than whims is what makes science possible in the first place.
Ayoub Khallok keeps this archive of essays, research, lessons and notes, written to understand things more clearly. More about Ayoub.
Enjoyed this piece? Follow along.
New essays, studies, lessons and notes arrive here a few times a month. There's no newsletter or algorithm, just an RSS feed for every section, so you can follow only what interests you.
SubscribeSubjectsScience, Philosophy
Filed inQuotations