I want to understand the universe.
I want to understand how the universe works.
I want to build models of how the universe works that predict the results of experiments.
I want to build models of how the universe works that predict the results of experiments, because I believe those models get closer and closer to the truth.
I want to build models of how the universe works that predict the results of experiments, because I believe those models get closer and closer to the true rules of reality.
I want to build models of how the universe works that predict the results of experiments, because I believe that although it’s unknowable whether reality has “true” rules, building better and better models is the closest we can get.
I want to build models of how the universe works that predict the results of experiments, because I believe that understanding the true rules of reality will help us understand why the universe exists.
I want to build models of how the universe works that predict the results of experiments, because I believe that understanding the true rules of reality will shed light on the Creator of the universe.
I want to build models of how the universe works that predict the results of experiments, because I believe that the more we can explain without religion the less people will rely on it.
I want to build models of how the universe works that are simple and beautiful.
I want to build models of how the universe works that are simple and beautiful, because these models have the best track record of predicting the broadest range of experimental results.
I want to build models of how the universe works that are simple and beautiful, because I believe the true rules of reality are simple and beautiful.
I want to understand enough of how the universe works that I can build machines to improve people’s lives.
I want to understand enough of how the universe works that I can find new ways to save lives and heal the sick and injured.
I want to understand enough of how the universe works that I can help us stop endangering the climate of our planet.
I want to understand how the universe works so that other people can someday find new practical ways to improve and save lives, even if I don’t quite know what they are and probably won’t work on them myself.
I want to build machines for studying how the universe works, because I find working on those machines to be challenging and fulfilling.
I want to write programs for analyzing data from experiments on how the universe works, because I find analyzing data to be challenging and fulfilling.
Choose as many as you like. If other people want to hear about it, tell them – or, if you prefer, don’t. And if you have more you’d like to add, leave them in the comments!
Tags: how vs why, Philosophy of science
