Einstein’s famous quote was if he could ask God one question, it would be: “Is the universe friendly or not?” But Duane Elgin is suggesting there may be a more fundamental question: Is the universe alive or not? In his mind, that question is really a scientific one; it’s not theology and dogma. We can use the tools of science to inquire into this question, and what’s revealed is stunning. The universe is not the dead mechanistic system that we used to think it was. The more that we inquire, the more amazing the nature of reality appears.