Re: The Hidden Harmony of the Universe

On Jan 18, 6:08 am, unrestrained_h...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Jan 17, 3:47 pm, Joseph Humming <jos...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:





On Jan 17, 6:04 pm, unrestrained_h...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

On Jan 16, 4:47 pm, Joseph Humming <jos...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Jan 16, 10:52 pm, Bob Casanova <nos...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:16:47 -0800 (PST), the following
appeared in talk.origins, posted by Joseph Humming
<jos...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

On Jan 16, 9:51 am, Iain <iain_inks...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Jan 15, 11:21 pm, Joseph Humming <jos...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

You mean why is the universe, without anything outside of it to
arbitrate its specific traits, thus and not otherwise?

No, I don't think I mean that. I mean...how can it happen that all the
various forces in nature managed to produce a coherent and stable
outcome? What are the chances of that?

There is exactly zero way to tell. A sample size of 1 does
not good statistical analysis make.

Hmmm. Avoiding the issue with a neat sidestep, Cas?

<snip>
--

Bob C.

"Evidence confirming an observation is
evidence that the observation is wrong."
                          - McNameless

Not at all. If you could establish that the universe could have been
anything, that most values of the constants could not produce life,
*and that this is either the only universe ever of that it always
repeats itself  with these values, then you might have a question. But
if any of these are not true, i.e.
1. These values are the only possible ones, or
2. No matter what the values, many of all of them can lead to life, or
3, There are many universes, but this set of values comes up
frequently...

then your question is not really a question. We don't yet know enough
to know if it can be asked. This is a big universe; if these constants
are inevitable or common, then it is likely that life is all over the
place, Even one planet inhabited by multi-celled critters per galaxy
would be one hundred billion or more planets like Earth.

It is quite easy to dismiss a thesis by referring to unknown and
unknowable possibilities. I prefer to deal with what happened.

Well, sure. But we don't know what happend yet, and certain questions
would be consequences of Path A, but not Path B. There are some who
say that the nature of the metaverse or what happened before(1) the BB
is unknowable in principle. I suggest that it is too soon to say that,
also.

I agree with you.



Maybe in your lifetime cosmologists will have a better idea. It may
never be testable in principle, though. We shall see. Maybe.

Kermit- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

(1) For suitably metaphorical values of "before".

Kermit- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: A potential criticism of the anthropic principle in cosmology
    ... principle simply notes that the universe 'must have properties which ... allow life to develop within it at some stage in its history', ... "The more complex the structure the more effective is the energy ...
    (sci.physics.research)
  • Re: Is life sui generis?
    ... The conclusion under discussion is that life exists only on Earth. ... but there is an odd principle in the philosophy ... If we were the only sapient species to exist, we most definitely would be privileged observers, and enjoy a very special status in the entire universe. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Universe: Fine Tuned For Life
    ... Anthropic Principle, that the particular values of the fundamental ... of course include Co, h-bar, G, e, particle masses, universe mass, ... universe somehow richer in structures and richer in evolving life ...
    (sci.astro)
  • Re: The Hidden Harmony of the Universe
    ... anything, that most values of the constants could not produce life, ... This is a big universe; ... It is quite easy to dismiss a thesis by referring to unknown and ... But we don't know what happend yet, ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: The Best Explanation: Creation or Evolution?
    ... Thus the principle of causality tells us that the argument of evolution ... and in turn the pot gave life and form to the potter, ... Science rationally modifies a theory to fit evidence, ... So you postulate an infinitely old universe in which life has always ...
    (talk.origins)