I call myself an ontologist. An ontologist is someone who is interested in understanding the nature of existence. I pose questions such as: Why does existence exist—and why do we exist?

The question of why existence exists is actually quite easily answered, or at least it seems that way to me. I believe that existence is eternal and therefore without beginning or initial cause.

What I mean is this: eternity has no beginning, and because it has no beginning, we cannot ask why it started. It would be like asking what came before forever; there was nothing before forever, and nothing will come after it. It is forever, all along.

I find this very reassuring. It provides a logically understandable explanation of the eternal aspect of existence. It has never begun, and it will never end.

The second question—why do we exist?—is trickier. Humankind has not always existed and will not always exist. Therefore, the question of why we exist becomes relevant. Is there a purpose to humankind—to our existence?