Spatial Geometry of the Large-Scale Universe: The Role of Quantum Gravity, Dark Energy and other Unknowns

It has been known for some time that the usual inference drawn from the observed near-flatness of the large-scale Universe - namely the existence of a cosmological “flatness problem”, which is then taken as a partial, but key motivation for assuming the existence of an ultra-short, inflationary expansion of the very early Universe - is in itself deeply problematic. The present contribution consolidates the earlier results regarding the absence of a cosmological flatness problem of the sort that could potentially be resolved by inflation, by clearing up some common misunderstandings and by presenting some arguments in more detail.