  We specify the semiclassical no-boundary wave function of the universe
without relying on a functional integral of any kind. The wave function is
given as a sum of specific saddle points of the dynamical theory that satisfy
conditions of regularity on geometry and field and which together yield a time
neutral state that is normalizable in an appropriate inner product. This
specifies a predictive framework of semiclassical quantum cosmology that is
adequate to make probabilistic predictions, which are in agreement with
observations in simple models. The use of holography to go beyond the
semiclassical approximation is briefly discussed.
