In an earlier article ‘Is the total energy of the universe zero?’1 I have already shown as to why the total energy of the universe would be zero. But there is one deep metaphysical reason that surpasses all the earlier reasons, as to why this total energy can never be other than zero.
In another article ‘Existence of anything can ultimately point to God’2 I have also shown that if anything exists at all then ultimately there would have to be something that would be neither in space nor in time, as otherwise there would be an infinite regress.
So our starting point would be this: If anything exists, if even a single speck of dust exists, then ultimately there would have to be something that would be neither in space nor in time.
Here it may be asked: why should we stop an infinite regress? There is one practical reason as to why we should stop it. If we decide that instead of stopping it we would rather go up to infinity, then we would never be able to reach this present moment from that infinite past moment, because infinite time is such that it can never be bridged. If infinite time can be bridged, then it is not an infinite time, rather a finite time only.
So our conclusion is this: Ultimate reality – whatever that ultimate reality may be - can never be within any space and time, Ultimate reality is that reality beyond which there would be absolutely nothing.
Ultimate reality will be thus spaceless and timeless. Being spaceless and timeless it cannot be material. This is as per GR. GR has shown that space, time and matter are interlinked. So either all the three of them would be there together or none of them would be there. As ultimate reality is not within any space and time so there would be only the ultimate reality and no space and time. As there would be no space and time, so the ultimate reality cannot be material.
Ultimate reality being thus immaterial its total energy would be zero. This is because matter and energy are equivalent and so, zero matter would mean zero energy.
As ultimate reality is the source from which everything has originated, so the total energy of the universe would also be zero, because universe cannot have more energy than the source from which it has originated.
This also shows as to why space and time can neither be fundamental, because the source which has given birth to space and time does not contain any space and time.
Reference:
1. https://www.11prompt.com/?q=node/503
2. https://www.11prompt.com/?q=node/537