[JoJo the Clown]

I understand your answer, and thank you for same, but I respectfully disagree. To me, it is difficult a transition from a singularity to a non-singularity that is not completely uniform, UNLESS there is manipulation of the system, externally or internally. Implicit in my skepticism, I suppose, is the question begged: What would CAUSE a singularity to change state, and whatever the explanation could be, HOW would it, as the "first cause," influence the transition? This is not intended to suggest a deliberate "design," but rather simply the need for some "force" to cause the transition from a singularity to be something other than uniform. I still cannot fathom how a singularity that somehow "explodes" does so in anything other than a completely uniform, concentric "shape." If, at some later point in time, the matter is affected by gravity, effect of sound waves, or other "shaping" influences, how can it transform from anything other than concentric in shape? Unless there are other unaccounted for forces affecting the post-Big Bang explosion that are themselves not uniform in existence. I appreciate your answer, though. Do you have any comments about my comments? This is fascinating stuff, isn't it?

[Physicist]

What would CAUSE a singularity to change state, and whatever the explanation could be, HOW would it, as the "first cause," influence the transition?

That's a different question. The assumption you're making is that the universe exists in time, that we can talk meaningfully about a period of time before which the Big Bang occurred, and that the Big Bang is a caused event that can be expressed in a historical narrative that comprises periods of time before and after the event itself.

I believe this is an error. Time exists within the universe; the universe does not exist in time. The Big Bang itself denotes the advent of the existence of time, so any historical narrative of causal events must necessarily take place within the universe.

Here is my canonical explanation of the geometry of space and time at the Big Bang, which may help you to understand why it isn't necessary that there be any such thing as "before the Big Bang".

Moreover, there are provably uncaused events within the universe (the decay of a subatomic particle, for example).