To become intelligent. The single greatest survival trait is intelligence, It is better and more powerful than any other trait such as fangs or speed. Therefore, where ever life begins, it will evolve towards intelligence eventually. Therefore the reason for the Universe is to create intelligence. The real question is why does the Creator want life to be intelligent?
On Earth that is. Is there a reason ?
Yes. Earth lies in the "life belt". In our orbit, we are not too close to the Sun or too far away. It's not too hot or cold to sustain carrbon-based life here. The early self-replicating molecules found that they could sustain reproduction here. The more complex the form, the better it's chance for survival. Therefore life evolved into humans.
Is it a fluke ?
No...The speed of light is 6.0 X 10^6 mph., the acceleration of gravity is 32 ft.^2, and the distance around a circle (or your atom or a planet, or a galaxy) divided by the distance across it is 3.1415926... These constants are set and have been set since creation. Change just one number by one digit and the entire Universe would cease to exist. So, no. It's no fluke, there is a plan to the Universe.
If God exists, why are we on this tiny blue planet
suspended in a vast and seemingly endless void of harsh
uninhabitable cosmos ?
Now you are asking the right question. Why does life exist at all? Since it's obvious that life exists to create intelligence, then the real question is "Why does life need to be intelligent?" No one has this answer, although I have a suspicion. I suggest that since "God lives in the birds and the bees, the rocks and the trees," He experiences his creation through us. Most religious people would agree that an omniscient God would see, hear and experience everything an intelligent human does. Perhaps we are how God lives...He lives through us.
Do we have a unified purpose ?
Once, long, long ago, you and I and everyone else were in the center of a star. That is the only place where heavy atoms like carbon and iron can be made. That star blew up and the dust cloud it made eventually condensed into this solar system. From those very atoms, your mother's body broke down the food molecules that she ate and made your body. That seems pretty unifying to me, but it's still just a unified history, not a purpose.
An individual purpose ?
Absolutely. Like the threads in a great tapestry, you and I cannot know our actual purpose or the repercussions of everything we do each day. But the beauty of the mathematics of creation suggests that there is a very clear purpose.
Let me put it this way. When you throw a stone into the water, you make ripples. When hundreds of stones are thrown, the ripples cross and recross making fantastic patterns. These patterns are just like our lives. You help a little old lady across the street today. Because of that, she doesn't get hit by a car. She now has a child. That child grows up to invent a cure for cancer. Without your individual purpose of helping her across the street, her son could never realize his individual purpose of inventing a cancer cure.
Is this a test ?
Most likely, yes. If you abscribe to the theory that there is a purpose to the universe, then there is a purpose to every part of the universe, including you. If you do not fulfill your purpose, you fail the test.
How are we doing ?
You'll know every detail. Exactly which lives you affected, how much, and when. Every nuance of the millions of decisions that you made throughout your lifespan will be made clear to you....
when you die.
