Exploring the Fine-Tuned Universe and Belief in God
The discussion delves into the concept of the fine-tuned universe and the belief in God from a Christian perspective. It contrasts reasons for belief with challenges posed by atheistic viewpoints. The content covers responses to skepticism and insights into the Big Bang theory, fundamental forces, and examples of fine-tuning in the universe, providing a thought-provoking exploration of faith and science.
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Presentation Transcript
Why do we believe in God? Why do we believe? As Christians, we believe because - We are confident Jesus rose from the dead - We have experienced God s presence in our lives - (fill in any other reasons)
But not everyone does! New Atheists try to convince everyone that - God does not exist - People who believe in God are superstitious simpletons - Religion is harmful - Science says there is no God
Whats our response? We can talk about our experience with God s presence (too subjective) We can say why we believe in the resurrection (they disagree) We can cower and hope the New Atheists will leave us alone We can go on the offensive with science
Introductory Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpIiIaC4k RA Even many atheist scientists are awed by the order displayed in the universe (e.g. Hawking)
How the universe began The Big Bang theory is almost universally accepted: - Our observable universe began from a singularity (point) or near- singularity (small bowl) about 13.7 billion years ago - At first, only energy. Then protons, neutrons, electrons (and their constituent parts) formed as the universe cooled off. - At 380,000 years after the Big Bang, the universe had cooled off enough to allow formation of atoms (hydrogen and helium) - Galaxies developed from small irregularities in the expanding universe and clumped together due to gravity - Stars developed. Elements heavier than hydrogen and helium arose through nuclear fusion and released into the universe through exploding supernovas.
Four fundamental forces Strong force which holds atomic nuclei together Weak force which governs nuclear decay (radiation) Electromagnetic force holds electrons in their orbits, plus much else (long-distance force) Gravity masses attract each other (long- distance force)
Examples of fine-tuning Strong force: Epsilon ( ), the strength of the force binding nucleons into nuclei, is 0.007. If it were 0.006, only hydrogen could exist, and complex chemistry would be impossible. If it were above 0.008, no hydrogen would exist, as all the hydrogen would have been fused shortly after the big bang. (Some scientists argue up to 0.01)
Examples of fine-tuning Weak force: If the weak nuclear force were somewhat stronger, neutrons would have decayed faster to protons and there would be less helium (hence less carbon). If the weak force were somewhat weaker, there would be mush less hydrogen. Helium-based stars have much shorter lives (which means, life could not have developed before they burned out).
Examples of fine-tuning Gravity and electromagnetic force: The ratio of the strengths of the electromagnetic and gravitational fields is roughly 1040. If gravity were slightly stronger (so that the ratio is lower), all stars would be radiative (blue giants) rather than convective, and planets might not form. It would also be too hot. But if gravity were somewhat weaker (so that the ratio was higher), then all stars would be convective (red dwarves) and supernovas might not happen, hence no heavier elements (like carbon).
Examples of fine-tuning Gravity: Gravity could in theory be up to 1040higher than it is (the strength of the strong force). But if it were only 3000 times higher, planets could not last more than a billion years (too short a time to develop life). What are the odds that gravity falls within a life-permitting range? 1 in 3 x 1037
Examples of fine-tuning The proton-to-electron-to-neutron mass ratio: The ratio of the mass of the proton to that of the electron is approximately 1836.15, according to latest measurements. The ratio of the mass of the neutron to the mass of the proton is approximately 1.0013784. In other words, the neutron's mass is slightly more than the combined mass of a proton, an electron and a neutrino. As a result, free neutrons (neutrons that are not tied up in the nucleus of an atom) spontaneously decay with a half life of about 10 minutes. If the neutron s mass were lower by 1%, then isolated protons would decay instead of neutrons, and very few atoms heavier than lithium could form.
Examples of fine-tuning The proton-to-electron-to-neutron mass ratio: The ratio of the mass of the proton to that of the electron is approximately 1836.15, according to latest measurements. The ratio of the mass of the neutron to the mass of the proton is approximately 1.0013784. In other words, the neutron's mass is slightly more than the combined mass of a proton, an electron and a neutrino. As a result, free neutrons (neutrons that are not tied up in the nucleus of an atom) spontaneously decay with a half life of about 10 minutes. If the neutron s mass were lower by 1%, then isolated protons would decay instead of neutrons, and very few atoms heavier than lithium could form.
Examples of fine-tuning Mean density of matter-energy ( ) Density depends on the rate of expansion in the Big Bang. If the expansion rate had been too small, the universe would have collapsed due to gravity. If it had been too large, gravity could not have created galaxies, stars, etc. Omega ( ) is the ratio of matter-energy density to the critical value. At 1 second, it had to equal 1 within an error of 10-15
Examples of fine-tuning Hoyle resonance The ratio of the strong force and electromagnetic force has to be just right to create a resonance in the carbon atom that lets carbon be created, but no resonance in the oxygen atom that would turn all carbon into oxygen. Hoyle: a superintellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as chemistry and biology
Examples of fine-tuning Cosmological constant ( ) Believed to be the energy of the quantum vacuum (dark energy). The calculated value is 10120higher than the observed value. In other words, something ( Einstein component ) must cancel out this vacuum component exactly over its first 120 digits. A slightly larger value for the cosmological constant would have caused space to expand so rapidly that galaxies would not form. Leonard Susskind says "The great mystery is not why there is dark energy. The great mystery is why there is so little of it [10-122]... The fact that we are just on the knife edge of existence, [that] if dark energy were very much bigger we wouldn t be here, that's the mystery.
Nontheistic Explanations No fine-tuning 1 ( The Absurd Universe ): Life is not significant. Carbon is not essential Problem: without some fine-tuned elements, no universe would exist. No fine-tuning 2 ( The Unique Universe ): The constants are as they have to be. When we arrive at a theory of everything , it will explain the fine tuning.
Nontheistic Explanations Multiverse: There are an infinite number of universes. Therefore, although our universe is extremely unlikely by itself, if there are enough universes, it has to happen. According to Davies, a growing minority of scientists support this (in one version or another).
The Multiverse There is NO empirical evidence for a multiverse. Parallel universes have never been observed, nor can they be (too far away). Theories that could explain the origin of a multiverse include eternal inflation and string theory/M theory. These theories are currently not testable, so they cannot be proved or disproved. According to Davies, it still requires a lot of unexplained and very convenient physics to make it work.
Fun with the Multiverse 1 If an infinite multiverse exists, it is likely that an advanced civilization could program its computers (far more advanced than we have) to create a virtual universe. This might be more likely than such a fine-tuned universe as ours, so maybe our universe is really just a computer simulation.
Fun with the Multiverse 2 If an infinite multiverse exists, then why can t advanced superintelligences evolve that could then create our fine-tuned universe. These would be natural gods (demiurges). For that matter: If there is truly an infinite number of universes, maybe in one of them Donald Trump is head of Amnesty International.
Nontheistic Explanations The Life Principle: Davies proposes an overarching principle that causes the universe/multiverse to evolve toward life and mind. Why this is more scientific than the theistic alternative is beyond me. Self-explaining universe: Essentially, the universe creates itself, possibly through feedback loops going back in time (quantum mechanics gets very strange)
Occams razor When in doubt, choose the simplest explanation. If you believe in a transcendent creator and sustainer God, this is the simplest explanation. If you don t +
Selected references Davies, Paul, The Goldilocks Enigma, 2006 Holder, Rodney, Big Bang, Big God, 2013 Lennox, John C. God and Stephen Hawking, 2011 Lennox, John C. God s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? 2009
