"If the universe is running down like a clock, the clock must have been wound up at a date which we could name if we knew it. The world, if it is to have an end in time, must have had a beginning in time"

In this quote, Dean Inge is talking about the idea of time and deep space. He compares deep space to a clock, mentioning that it is diminishing, or coming to an end, just like a clock does when it lacks power. However, he likewise recommends that the clock needs to have been wound up at a particular date, which we could identify if we had the knowledge. This indicates that deep space also had a start, just like the clock had a beginning point when it was ended up. Inge is highlighting the idea that whatever in the world, including time and deep space, has a beginning and an end.