I'm not saying you're a Hawkingite --- probably not, in fact--- but I found this fascinating article about Stephen Hawking's reliance on the pre-existence of the laws of quantum theory at Mike Flynn's Journal (Link).
Pre-existing before matter, in fact "before all things visible and invisible." You may find it of interest. If you don't have the time, just skim through for the headlines :o)
Stephen Hawking Proves the Existence of God! Heh.
Bottom line: Hawking equates the "creation of the universe" with the "becoming of matter." And logically prior to this "becoming" stands a principle, a set of laws described by quantum theory. (This is logically prior, not prior in time. Time commences with the becoming of matter.)
IOW: Law precedes Matter and is the cause of it. This makes the Law the formal cause - i.e., "the form-specifying principle" - of that which would otherwise be formless. This is also Kool, since the Scientific Revolution deliberately rejected formal causes.
But since every thing that exists exists in some form, formless matter must be (in some way) non-existent. By bringing form to "formless matter" the Law brings matter as we know it into being. And we're back to Aristotle, again! There's no escaping that old rationalist. Like American Express, he's everywhere you want to be.
Πρώτη ὕλη. If we abstract [in thought] all characters and determinations from body, we arrive at a concept of characterless, undetermined matter, aka "prime matter." Formless matter, the πρώτη ὕλη (prote hyle), is pure potency and not actually anything. In particular, while it potentially exists, it does not actually exist. (It "lacks the act of existence.") Thus it is incorporeal because it is no actual body -- though it is the necessary underlying condition for bodies. So the prime matter is formless or chaotic and because it has no physical existence we can call it a "void."
So according to Hawking, there was a beginning; and in the beginning was the Law and the Law was all there was; and without the Law nothing came to be. And the Law was an immaterial being that was pure λογοϛ. And this Law gave form to the void of pure potency, prime matter.
Wait a minute...
Something about that sounds awfully familiar. Didn't someone say all that and say it more poetically a long time ago?
"In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
And without him nothing came to be."
But I don't think Hawking realized he was paraphrasing that.
No. It isn't. It is quite clear what is happening. Quantum Field Theory requires it/predicts it, and what is happening is well known and well understood, and there is nothing the least bit unclear about it. Quantum Electrodynamics is the most successful theory in history. It makes correct predictions to absurd numbers of decimal places, all of those calculations requiring particles of energy, matter, and antimatter to be spontaneously created and to be spontaneously annihilated, in ways that are very well understood.
Hawking is not an authority on ontology, though he clearly thinks he is. The fact that his ideas are bad doesn't make Aristotle's good, nor does the mind's ability to see patterns where none exist make religious claptrap into a summary of scientific laws.