Sam writes:

Ilove the idea of examining this idea of a “philosophy of cosmology”…

Form the original article: What Happened Before the Big Bang? The New Philosophy of Cosmology by The Atlantic:

“This question of accounting for what we call the “big bang state” — the search for a physical explanation of it — is probably the most important question within the philosophy of cosmology, and there are a couple different lines of thought about it.” 

As a closet philosopher, I love this stuff. 

My favorite quote from the article:

Well gee, you're telling me the universe began in some extremely unlikely or improbable state" and you wonder is there any explanation for that. Is there any principle that you can use to account for the big bang state?

Exactly. Something just doesn't feel right about the current "as simple as that" explanation that has at least made it out to the lay person.

Though as soon as I open my mouth about it, I'm instantly over my head.  Thus my "closet" status. Regardless, this is a fun read.  And he disses on Hawking, which is pretty ballsy.

source:http://www.samharrelson.com/2012/01/21/philosophy-of-cosmology/