When we talk about the fine-tuning of our universe, we’re referring to the crazy, insane precision in the fundamental physical constants needed for our universe to hold any form of life whatsoever.
For a small illustration of the odds, imagine our universe would only have come into existence if someone opened a safe. This safe doesn’t only have a combination lock with millions of digits, but its dial also has millions of possible numbers to select. Inputting a single digit incorrectly would result in the door not opening, and us never being here to consider it.
British physicist, Paul Davies says, “scientists are slowly waking up to an inconvenient truth – the universe looks suspiciously like a fix. For 40 years, physicists and cosmologists have been quietly collecting samples of all too convenient “coincidences” and special features in the underlying laws of the universe that seem to be necessary in order for life – and hence conscious beings – to exist. At every level, we find that our universe’s ability to create and sustain life forms is rare and remarkable.”
So just like the chance of guessing the correct safe combination is incomprehensible, the chance that our universe appeared so perfectly adjusted for life on accident is equally implausible. Instead, all reason and experience tell us that there must be intelligence behind such a remarkable existence.
I’m Sophie Gillespie from Thinking Matters and this has been your Thought for the Week.
For more reasons to believe visit thinkingmatters.org.nz