PL
The paper discusses the idea of quantum creation of the universe. After a few remarks concerning inflationary models and Tryon's idea of the world's origin as a fluctuation in the preexisting vacuum, the Hartle-Hawking quantum creation model is presented. Its structure and assumptions are discussed, and interpretative difficulties related to the mechanism of 'quantum creation' pointed out. The paper discusses the idea of quantum creation of the universe. After a few remarks concerning inflationary models and Tryon's idea of the world's origin as a fluctuation in the preexisting vacuum, the Hartle-Hawking quantum creation model is presented. Its structure and assumptions are discussed, and interpretative difficulties related to the mechanism of 'quantum creation' pointed out.