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    For life to be possible, the cosmological constant Λ must... — Carmelics
    Home/Natural Theology
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    For life to be possible, the cosmological constant Λ must be fine-tuned to an extraordinarily precise degree, not varying more than one part in 10^53.

    Natural Theology
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.The expansion rate of the universe is represented by the cosmological constant Λ.
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    • 2.If Λ were slightly greater, there would be no energy sources such as stars.
      ?

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    • 3.If Λ were slightly less, the Big Bang would have quickly led to a Big Crunch in which the universe collapsed back onto itself.
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    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.The value of Λ may be physically necessary rather than contingent, if a final theory of quantum gravity constrains it to its observed value.
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    • 2.Fine-tuning arguments presuppose a probability distribution over possible constants, but without a physical ensemble, this distribution is undefined.
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    • 3.An undefined probability space cannot ground claims of improbability, undermining the inferential force of the fine-tuning observation.
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    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Weinberg (1987) demonstrated via anthropic reasoning that Λ must fall within a life-permitting range given that observers exist to measure it.
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    • 2.If observer-selection effects fully explain the observed value of Λ, the fine-tuning requires no further theistic or design-based explanation.
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    • 3.An explanatory factor that is both sufficient and naturalistically grounded defeats the inference to a transcendent fine-tuner.
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    Natural Theology

    Related

    An explanatory factor that is both sufficient and naturalistically grounded defe...An undefined probability space cannot ground claims of improbability, underminin...Fine-tuning arguments presuppose a probability distribution over possible consta...If observer-selection effects fully explain the observed value of Λ, the fine-tu...
    +5 moreShow less
    If Λ were slightly greater, there would be no energy sources such as stars.If Λ were slightly less, the Big Bang would have quickly led to a Big Crunch in ...The expansion rate of the universe is represented by the cosmological constant Λ...The value of Λ may be physically necessary rather than contingent, if a final th...Weinberg (1987) demonstrated via anthropic reasoning that Λ must fall within a l...

    Similar

    These conditions for life's existence only obtain during a specific co...77%The expansion rate of the universe is represented by the cosmological ...77%Fine-tuning provides more reason to expect a life-permitting universe ...74%The cosmological argument does not entail that conditions are right fo...72%

    Source

    AI-extracted2/3 agreementValid
    SEP: teleological-arguments
    Collins 2003
    View source passageHide passage
    The expansion rate of the universe is represented by the cosmological constant Λ. If Λ were slighter greater, there would be no energy sources, such as stars. If it were slightly less, the Big Bang would have quickly led to a Big Crunch in which the universe collapsed back onto itself. For life to be possible, Λ cannot vary more than one part in 1053 (Collins 2003)
    Extraction notes

    Validity: The premises establish that slight variations in Λ in either direction would preclude life (no stars or universe collapse), and the source passage explicitly states the conclusion that Λ cannot vary more than one part in 10^53 for life to be possible, which follows naturally from these premises.

    Confidence: Clear argument structure: two conditional premises leading to the conclusion about fine-tuning.

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit