I guess it boils down to the idea that there is a G.
From my limited remedial study of science it seems clear to me that underlying the universe are several fundamental laws, often referred to as universal constants. These constants are in extremely precise proportion to each other. And if they were not as precisely in proportion as they are, the universe would be a true tohu vavohu (a mixed-up worthless heap).
The mainstream thinking is that our universe where the constants are perfectly precisely in sync is a an accident. That there are numerous such universes which have different proportions and are consequently tohu vavohu. We only happen to see the universe with perfect constants because a prerequisite to our existence is the precision - if one were to be in one of the other tohu vavohu universes, we would quickly explode/implode/bend/break/die. Since we require the precision to exist, we would only ever be asking the question of our origins in such a universe.
It's a possibility, but it strikes me as intellectually dishonest to see a high degree of order and precision and presume random assembly - it is of course possible, but with each degree of precision, it seems less and less likely.
Therefore, I find it more likely that there was a "fine tuner" who put the constant in precise order and call this "fine tuner" G.
By the very logic that led me to conclude that there is a G, I know that It is intelligent. In fact, extremely intelligent - It shaped the universe with precise constants. From this alone, I cannot conclude much anything else about G for certain - He could be a scientist outside the universe who created us as some kind of experiment, He could be a child and we are the equivalent to a toy model in His bedroom. These are all mere projections of why humans would engage in creation - so I know nothing at all about Its motives.
But then we have the historical record. It seems that some humans may have interacted with G. I can't know for sure, as I have never interacted with G in the way those men depicted their interactions, but still the historical record suggests that it happened. More so, as a Jew, I have found the Torah system to be very personally rewarding and to have an extremely good understanding of human nature in general.
Regardless of any motives which may exist for G, the Torah system seems to be in line with human nature. Add that to the fact that the Creator of the universe obviously has a greater level of understanding about the universe than I do, and I conclude that there may have been an interaction between G and man and He shared some fundamentals of human nature with man.
So then why does prophecy matter? He already gave us the Torah.
The thing is, I'm not sure what that prophecy was - our mesora describes it as a communication (though without sound and rather as a kind of telepathy). It could be that the Am used prophecy as a shorthand to say "this guy speaks fundamental truth" or it could be that the navi went into a seizure while dreaming and had visions of the future (this is roughly the Rambam's view) - I genuinely don't know.
Regardless, if there is a possibility that we can "communicate" with G, who created everything, why would we devote our energies to anything else? By studying His universe, we have unlocked unimaginable powers and brachos - electricity, atomic bombs, traveling to distant planets. Who knows what we could do if we gained knowledge enough to control the fundamental constants of reality - split the sea, turn the river to blood, create a tangible darkness - who knows?
I don't seek this knowledge out of a thirst for power (though it is tantalizing) but rather out of a sense of urgency - we live in pain as humans with the aches of life, the pangs of hunger, the fear of death - theoretically any of these could be undone with proper understanding of reality (we have already done much to resolve hunger and pain by using our minds - why not go further?).
So it brings me back to the fundamental basic question: what did Moshe do when he spoke to G "face to face"?
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