Anthropic Principle

Anthropic Principle

 http://www.godandscience.org/love/sld008.html

Approximately two dozen parameters of the universe have been identified that must be carefully fixed in order for any kind of conceivable life (not just life as we know it) to exist at any time in the history of the universe. Some examples of these are given in Table 5.

Table 5: Evidence for design in the universe^{101 - 110}

1. gravitational coupling constant

·      if larger: no stars less than 1.4 solar masses, hence short stellar lifespans

·      if smaller: no stars more than 0.8 solar masses, hence no heavy element production

2. strong nuclear force coupling constant

·      if larger: no hydrogen; nuclei essential for life are unstable

·      if smaller: no elements other than hydrogen

3. weak nuclear force coupling constant

·      if larger: all hydrogen is converted to helium in the big hang, hence too much heavy elements

·      if smaller: no helium produced from big bang, hence not enough heavy elements

4. electromagnetic coupling constant

·      if larger: no chemical bonding; elements more massive than boron are unstable to fission

·      if smaller: no chemical bonding

5. ratio of protons to electrons

·      if larger: electromagnetism dominates gravity preventing galaxy, star, and planet formation

·      if smaller: electromagnetism dominates gravity preventing galaxy, star, and planet formation

6. ratio of electron to proton mass

·      if larger: no chemical bonding

·      if smaller: no chemical bonding

7. expansion rate of the universe

·      if larger: no galaxy formation

·      if smaller: universe collapses prior to star formation

8. entropy level of the universe

·      if larger: no star condensation within the proto-galaxies

·      if smaller: no proto-galaxy formation

9. mass density of the universe

·      if larger: too much deuterium from big bang, hence stars bum too rapidly

·      if smaller: no helium from big bang, hence not enough heavy elements

10. age of the universe

·      if older: no solar-type stars in a stable burning phase in the right part of the galaxy

·      if younger: solar-type stars in a stable burning phase would not yet have formed

11. initial uniformity of radiation

·      if smoother: stars, star clusters, and galaxies would not have formed

·      if coarser: universe by now would be mostly black holes and empty space

12. average distance between stars

·      if larger: heavy element density too thin for rocky planet production

·      if smaller: planetary orbits become destabilized

13. solar luminosity

·      if increases too soon: runaway green house effect

·      if increases too late: frozen oceans

14. fine structure constant (a function of three other fundamental constants, Planck's constant, the velocity of light, and the electron charge each of which, therefore, must be fine-tuned)

·      if larger: no stars more than 0.7 solar masses

·      if smaller: no stars less than 1.8 solar masses

15. decay rate of the proton

·      if greater: life would be exterminated by the release of radiation

·      if smaller: insufficient matter in the universe for life

16. ¹²C to ¹⁶O energy level ratio

·      if larger: insufficient oxygen

·      if smaller: insufficient carbon

17. decay rate of ⁸Be

·      if slower: heavy element fusion would generate catastrophic explosions in all the stars

·      if faster: no element production beyond beryllium and, hence, no life chemistry possible

18. mass difference between the neutron and the proton

·      if greater: protons would decay before stable nuclei could form

·      if smaller: protons would decay before stable nuclei could form

19. initial excess of nucleons over anti-nucleons

·      if greater: too much radiation for planets to form

·      if smaller: not enough matter for galaxies or stars to form

The degree of fine-tunedness for many of these parameters is utterly amazing. For example, if the strong nuclear force were even two percent stronger or two percent weaker, the universe would never be able to support life.^{111, 112} More astounding yet, the ground state energies for ⁴He, ⁸Be, ¹²C, and ¹⁶O cannot be higher or lower with respect to each other by more than four percent without yielding a universe with insufficient oxygen and/or carbon for any kind of life.¹¹⁰ The expansion rate of the universe is even more sensitive.¹¹³ It must be fine-tuned to an accuracy of one part in 10⁵⁵! Clearly some ingenious Designer must be involved in the physics of the universe.

Hal on the Hot Seat: 7/17/2010