From David Snoke’s notes on the annual meeting of the Christian Scientific Society
Robin Collins gave a great overview of the topic of fine tuning in cosmology, and raised the argument (subject of new work he is doing) that the cosmos is fine tuned not only for the existence of life or observers, but for the existence of scientific discovery. This is along the lines of Gonzalez and Richards’ The Privileged Planet from a few years ago, but with new and more rigorous arguments. More.
Doubtless, a book is forthcoming… ? It tells us something about the times we live in that, whatever the evidence suggests, the people most likely to resist such a view would actually benefit from its general acceptance.
Here is some of Collins‘s current work, as at his home page:
“Fine-Tuning for Discoverability.” Draft of Paper delivered at Greer-Heard Point/Counterpoint Forum on Cosmology and Existence of God, March 22, 2014.Selected chapters (in draft form) from my in-process book: The Fine-tuning for Life, Technology, and Scientific Discovery: The Scientific Evidence:
“Fine-Tuning of Fine-Structure Constant for Life, Technology, and Discoverability Chapter on fine-tuning of fine-structure constant for life, technology, and discoverability. (draft).
“Fine-tuning for Discoverabilty of Baryon to Photon Ratio for Maximal Intensity of CMB.” (Near Completion.)
Next year’s CSS meet will be on human exceptionalism. A timely topic when, despite all evidence, nearly 50% Americans now think humans are not special. And the BBC posit, on no particular evidence, that chimpanzees have entered the Stone Age
Follow UD News at Twitter!
See also: Robb Mann a new voice at CSS April meet