so did you hear about the philosophy major who read too many layman's articles on quantum mechanics?

[dragonladyflame]

There's this principle called the Weak Anthropic Principle. It's basically a response to the question people sometimes phrase as, "Wow, isn't it odd that the universe consists of the amazingly unlikely concatenation of circumstances that allowed humanity to come into being?" The Weak Anthropic Principle replies, "I guess so, but it obviously

Comments

[agnoster]

It's a tautology. Why would a tautology be controversial?

"We exist in the universe. Therefore, the universe must be such that it allows our existence."

Take carbon-based life. Gosh, what a coincidence! Um, no. Not really. Maybe if things were different, we'd have silicon-based life. Or something else. Maybe energy-based. Or if matter and energy didn't exist, some other kind of intelligence.

It's like being surprised when someone wins the lottery. Sure, any individual's chance of winning the lottery is astronomically low (like, say, any specific form of life/intelligance), but the fact that someone should win (i.e. that some form of complex life or intelligence would arise) might not be so surprising.

[dragonladyflame]

My feelings exactly.

[island01]

Maybe if things were different, we'd have silicon-based life.

This one is a pet peave of mine because information that addresses this is readily available to anyone that looks before they start throwing out false speculations that are many times pre-prejudicaially motivated by stuff other than science.

This is a "WhatIF things are different" woulda' coulda' shoulda'... killer:

Reason number 1.

Did you know... that the observed universe is carbon rich by a ratio of about 10:1 in favor of carbon atoms? This is what is called "carbon chauvinism"

BUT...

2) Did you know... that carbon molecules and chains also form more readily even when the ratio is reversed, (like on Earth!), 10:1 in favor of the next most plausible form of life that we've ever been able to imagine... silicon based life!... ?

[agnoster]

Note: I said "if things were different", not "if things were exactly as they are, but with more silicon in the world". You're totally misconstruing my point, and you should stop before you hurt yourself with it.

(Also, what's "pre-prejudicaially"?)

[island01]

You're right, and I spoke too soon, sorry.

There is a different argument and at least one scientific paper against that, having to do with the effect that different conditions would have on the rest of the anthropic balance points, but regardless... I should have just pointed out that the AP is NOT a tautology, because it can be falsified... See if you can figure out why... I've already explained how in this thread... ;)

[dragonladyflame]

Don't patronize my friends. I WILL remove your comments. I don't mind a stranger dropping in, but this place is not your soapbox.

[island01]

lol... okay, I promise that I did not mean to patronize anyone, but I'm sorry if I came off that way