Response to Derek Parfit

Abstract

The existence of the universe cannot be causally explained if defined as the totality of all substances, yet it may be attributed to a single, foundational substance that causes all other entities. Principles of inductive inference favor this explanation due to the simplicity of postulating one supreme substance over the infinite complexity of a many-worlds hypothesis. Unlike non-causal axiomatic principles, which lack empirical parallels within the observable world, the intentional action of a substance is a recognized explanatory category. Laws of nature do not function as independent agents but are reducible to the inherent powers and liabilities of substances. Consequently, a non-causal explanation for the universe’s existence requires postulating a mechanism that is never operative in localized effects, whereas a causal explanation involving a primary substance aligns with the established logic of intentional agency. Because any ultimate explanation must terminate in a brute fact, the existence of the simplest possible substance constitutes a more robust and parsimonious foundation for reality than abstract laws or principles that operate without substance-mediated action. – AI-generated abstract.