SIR – George Cowley asks me, if there is “no God then what is the ultimate point of life and where did this mysterious universe originate from?”(Letters, December 5).

Yes, it is mysterious. For example there is the paradox of causation – that all events must have causes which are themselves events (there are no uncaused causes), but also that an infinite regress of causation is no explanation at all. An uncaused cause or an infinite regress seem like our only options and neither satisfies. Mindwarping, I agree.

And that is exactly why I cannot agree that we ‘solve’ the paradox simply by asserting that actually there is an uncaused cause after all, and giving it a pet name (God).

God is not ‘an answer to existence’. God is just restating the philosophical problem with a new name and saying ‘solved’ afterwards and dusting our hands.

The point of life is the other question you raise. I think purpose is something that a creative mind must impose on things, including our own lives. I cannot simply be handed a purpose from on high like a robot given an instruction. Meaning and morality are far more difficult and interesting than that.

The growth of knowledge, the joy of life, the health of the world – these are my ultimate purposes. What are yours?

BOB CHURCHILL,

Bishampton, near Pershore.