Assumptions

1) Infinite, flat space – observations to date suggest that curvature is negligible and is essentially flat. You could have a Ms. Pac-Man situation where if you traveled long enough on one side of the flat surface, you reappear in the same space on the other side. Inflation theory generally predicts a flat, infinite space).

2) Uniform distribution of matter – With the WMAP, there is remarkable agreement with experimental data. The so called fractal or island universes aren’t supported by the evidence. There appears to be an upper limit to the kinds of superstructures or groupings of astronomical objects (e.g. superclusters).

3) Dark whatever’s – Even assuming dark energy could eventually rip apart matter and disperse energy so that there is no mechanism by which they can “relump” to allow a Big Crunch.

4) Quantum foam – uncertainty principle tells us that even in extreme thermal coldness near absolute zero, given a long enough period of time, matter and energy will suddenly pop back into existence which can recycle the inflationary process again and again.

5) Asymmetry – The cosmological constant. Repulsive Gravity or ate there two gravitational forces?

6) Consciousness, the soul you feel, is dependent upon a particular arrangement of molecules, atoms, etc. under specific conditions.