Joe Kainz
The Anthropic Principle
"According to everything taught by the exact sciences about the immense realm of
nature, a certain order prevails--one independent of the human mind . . . this order
can be formulated in terms of purposeful activity. There is evidence of an intelligent
order of the universe to which both man and nature are subservient."
Max Planck
1) The Universe is so ideal for human existence that some people question whether it is coincidence or whether there was some sort of "Creator." That is what the Anthropic Principle asks. Is
this all just mere coincidence? Is there a deeper level to the physical nature of the Universe?
Some of the proportions and quantities in the Universe are staggeringly fine-tuned. If any of
these were to be different from its already "perfect" state, life as we know it would not exist.
The man who made the principle popular, John Wheeler, described it as this, "A life-giving
factor lies at the center of the whole machinery and design of the world." There are many
relationships that lead to the question of a "creator." If the gravitational force were slightly
greater, we would be dead. If nuclear force were slightly weaker, Hydrogen would be the
only element and we would be dead. It takes approximately three billion years for a universe
to have its first star formed. It takes another twelve billion years for the star to supernova and
spew out material for solar type stars, like our sun. Add on another few billion years for that
solar star to stabilize into a life supporting source, and you have yourself a very small
window of opportunity for life to be a possibility.
2) Brandon Carter, an Australian astrophysicist, first came up with the idea of an "anthropic
principle" in Krakow in memory of Copernicus' 500th birthday. He explained his idea
saying, "Although our situation is not necessarily central, it is inevitably privileged to some
extent". Long before Carter, however, Alfred Russell Wallace was already pondering the
same idea. In 1904 he described his idea as, "Such a vast and complex universe as that
which we know exists around us, may have been absolutely required ... in order to produce a
world that should be precisely adapted in every detail for the orderly development of life
culminating in man." Some people even claim that Karl Marx hinted at the ideas of
"Anthropic Principle."
3) I definitely believe in this argument for God's existence, or at least an argument for some sort of
"Creator" or higher being. I rarely question what science has to say, especially when they
have evidence to help its cause. The reason why I like it, though, is because I do not want to
think my existence is just a coincidence. If it were a coincidence, that leads me to think that I
really do not have a meaning, or purpose in life. I like to think God arranged these things in
order to help me. To know that God allowed for these, just for to support my living, shows
that there is some care involved. It shows that God loves us and wants us to live and be
happy. Even those who do not believe in him still enjoy the luxuries he provides.
4) DeYoung, Donald B. "Design in Nature: The Anthropic Principle."
Taylor, Ross A. "Anthropic Principle"
Ross, Hugh. "Design and the Anthropic Principle."