An ordinary mistake is one that leads to a dead end, while a profound mistake is one that leads to progress. Anyone can make an ordinary mistake, but it takes a genius to make a profound mistake.

When religion talks about our aspirations and our sense of morality, I do not believe that science can contradict it. However, when religion contradicts science on matters of fact, religion must yield.

The answer to the ancient question Why is there something rather than nothing would be that nothingis unstable.

In physics, your solution should convince a reasonable person. In math, you have to convince a person who's trying to make trouble. Ultimately, in physics, you're hoping to convince Nature. And I've found Nature to be pretty reasonable.

I went off to college planning to major in math or philosophy-- of course, both those ideas are really the same idea.

Why is there something rather than nothing?

I believe that everything you've said is not even wrong.