"This Universe" and "the Entire Universe" -- A Proposal for Considering Cosmological Theories on the Same Ground --

This paper proposes a simple distinction between “this universe” and “the entire universe.” The current standard cosmological model does not require an outside of the universe, but this does not necessarily mean that larger structures cannot be considered. By defining “this universe” as the universe described by the current cosmological model and “the entire universe” as everything that exists, theories such as multiverse hypotheses can be discussed on the same conceptual ground without requiring a new cosmological model. This paper does not claim that a multiverse exists, but explores whether a small change in terminology can clarify the relationship between existing cosmological ideas.