"What was there before the Big Bang? How to explain a universe created out of nothing without some recourse to a First Cause? "

It's a personal thing as to whether one even tries. I don't need that explanation. I sincerely doubt it CAN be answered, so I don't think inserting premises, anthropomorphic OR metaphysical, gets me anywhere. All *I* can do is look and follow what can be learned from what we can study thru science. I do not believe anyone can even tell me what it means to "create something out of nothing" without recourse to poetry and linguistic juggling.

∞^∞ (if you see those symbols, they makes as much sense as 'something out of nothing')