A Brief History of Time

Stephen Hawking:
I wanted to understand how the universe began.

[first lines]

Stephen Hawking:
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Did the universe have a beginning, and if so, what happened before then? Where did the universe come from, and where is it going?

[last lines]

Stephen Hawking:
If we do discover a complete theory of the universe, it should in time be understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists. Then we shall all - philosophers, scientists, and just ordinary people - be able to take part in the discussion of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason. For then we would know the mind of God.