![]() If it had been a little smaller, the universe would have been composed exclusively of blue giants which burn too briefly for life to develop. Or again, if a G had been a little greater, all stars would have been red dwarfs, which are too cold to support life-bearing planets. But if it had been much weaker, then we should have had a universe entirely of helium. Or again, if a w had been appreciably stronger, then the Big Bang's nuclear burning would have proceeded past helium to iron, making fusion-powered stars impossible. It has been estimated that a s must be within 0.8 and 1.2 its actual strength or all elements of atomic weight greater than four would not have formed. Furthermore, weakening a s by as much as 5% would unbind deuteron, which is essential to stellar nucleosynthesis, leading to a universe composed only of hydrogen. Just a slight variation in any one of these values would render life impossible.įor example, if a s were increased as much as 1%, nuclear resonance levels would be so altered that almost all carbon would be burned into oxygen an increase of 2% would preclude formation of protons out of quarks, preventing the existence of atoms. When one mentally assigns different values to these constants or forces, one discovers that in fact the number of observable universes, that is to say, universes capable of supporting intelligent life, is very small. The world is conditioned principally by the values of the fundamental constants a (the fine structure constant, or electromagnetic interaction), m n/ m e (proton to electron mass ratio, a G (gravitation), a w (the weak force), and a s (the strong force). More specifically, the values of the various forces of nature appear to be fine-tuned for the existence of intelligent life. Whitrow could not answer the question why the actual universe happens to possess three dimensions, but noted that if it did not, then we should not be here to ask the question. For example, it is due to its basic three-dimensionality that the world possesses the chemistry that it does, which furnishes some key conditions necessary for the existence of life. Moreover, dimensionality plays a key role in determining the form of the laws of physics and in fashioning the roles played by the constants of nature. When formulated in three dimensions, mathematical physics possesses many unique properties which are necessary prerequisites for the existence of rational information-processing observers like ourselves. Whitrow in 1955 that intelligent life would be impossible except in a universe of three basic dimensions. ![]() To begin with the most general of conditions, it was shown by G. Let us briefly review some of the cosmological and physical quantities that have been found to exhibit this delicate balance necessary for the existence of intelligent life on Earth at this epoch in cosmic history. In the various fields of physics and astrophysics, classical cosmology, quantum mechanics, and biochemistry, various discoveries have repeatedly disclosed that the existence of intelligent carbon-based life on Earth at this time depends upon a delicate balance of physical and cosmological quantities, such that were any one of these quantities to be slightly altered, the balance would be destroyed and life would not exist. The universe appears, in fact, to have been incredibly fine-tuned from the moment of its inception for the production of intelligent life on Earth at this point in cosmic history. In recent years, however, the scientific community has been stunned by its discovery of how complex and sensitive a nexus of conditions must be given in order for the universe to permit the origin and evolution of intelligent life on Earth. Unfortunately, they could speak of this wider teleology for the most part only in generalities, for example, "the fitness of the inorganic to minister to life," but could furnish few specific examples of experimental fact to illustrate this cosmic teleology. Hackett.Īll of these have appealed to what Tennant called "wider teleology," which emphasizes the necessary conditions for the existence and evolution of intelligent life, rather than specific instances of purposive design. Widely thought to have been demolished by Hume and Darwin, the teleological argument for God's existence has nonetheless continued during this century to find able defenders in F.R.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |