The final cause of the universe is to bring about intelligent observers. John Barrow, a professor at the University of Cambridge, writes, “Many of its most striking features – its vast size and huge age, the loneliness and darkness of space – are all necessary conditions for there to be intelligent observers like ourselves” (Page 113).
The universe seems cold and harsh and the study of physics shows that the universe is warm and inviting. Thus, because the universe has “all the necessary conditions” for human life, the universe is finely tuned for human life.The material causes of the universe are the four forces in nature. Barrow writes, “There are four distinct forces of Nature: gravity, electromagnetism, weak and strong forces” (41). Barrow uses the term “electromagnetic,” because “electricity and magnetism are really different sides of the same coin” (27). And he describes the strong force and the weak force as “the strong nuclear interaction” and “the weak [nuclear] interaction” (240). Further, Barrow writes, “The observable Universe is defined to be a sphere about us with radius equal to the speed of light times the present age of the Universe” (101). If a person wishes to understand the Universe, then he must understand “radius,” “the speed of light” and “age of the Universe” (101).
The formal cause is finely tuned. Barrow writes, the universe must have four forces that are “finely balanced” (134), since “habitable universes came to be seen as a rather tricky balancing act” (134). How finely tuned? Barrow gives many examples. First, Barrow writes, “The fabric of the Universe and the pivotal structure of her universal laws were now seen to flow from standards and invariants that were truly superhuman and extraterrestrial” (50). A Creator created the universal laws that have “standards” and guidelines. Further, Barrow writes, “The Universe has to be billions of years old in order that stars have enough time to create the biological elements needed for living complexity to exist within it” (265). Stars are the main source for chemical compounds needed for human life. Further, Barrow writes, “Life on a pleasant, irrigated planet, bathed in the light of a well-behaved star, would be possible with nothing of nuclear or radioactive interest anywhere near its surface” (249). The Creator designed the earth to be suitable for man at a time when the radiation from uranium is maintained at a minimum level. Thus, because the universe has laws that “flow from standards and invariants” (50), because the universe has a history old enough for stars to “create the biological elements needed for” life, and because the earth has a level of uranium that is not harmful to man, the universe is finely tuned for human life.
The principal cause of human life is the Creator. Barrow writes, “Until there is real evidence to the contrary, scientists wisely assume that whatever is responsible for the patterns that we call the ‘laws of Nature’ is a good deal smarter than we are” (55). The laws and standards in nature are “superhuman” (50) and arranged by an Agent Who is “a good deal smarter than we are” (55). Further, Barrow quotes Sir Arthur Eddington (1882-1944) who wrote, “A universe could be made with any number of particles. And so far as physics is concerned we must just accept the number allotted to our universe as an accident or as a whim of the Creator” (87). The Creator has the power to decide how many “particles” are located in the universe. Curiously, the amount of particles in the universe is the largest number. Barrow writes, “‘N edd’ [is] the largest and most mysterious number” (87). Further, Barrow writes, “Since ancient times there had been strong support for an argument for the existence of God from the fact that living things seemed to be tailor-made for their function” (157). Since every person has a job to do and a desire to do his job, it seems that both the job and the desire for it are brought about by God who has a plan that is confusing to us. Thus, because God “is responsible” for the laws of nature (55), because the Creator chose the number of particles “allotted to our universe” (87), and because every mineral, plant, animal, man and angel has a job to do plus an inclination to do its job, the universe is finely tuned for human life. Barrow writes “Order needs an ‘orderer’” (159).
The preparing agents of human life are stars. Barrow writes there is “a link between the biochemical time scales for the evolution of life and the astro-physical time scales [of stars] that determine the time required to create an environment supported by a stable hydrogen-burning star.” As stated above, stars are the main source for chemical compounds needed for human life. The “time scales” of stars bring about a “necessary condition for life” (126). Further, the Creator intelligently brought about the sun before bringing about living organisms dependent upon the sun “for energy” (126, 272). Thus, because the stars prepare the universe for human life, the universe is finely tuned for human life.
The assisting agents of human life are planets. Barrow writes, “Jupiter is a thousand times more massive than the Earth and sits on the outskirts of the solar system where its powerful gravitational pull can capture incoming objects heading for the inner solar system” (122). The Creator thoughtfully arranged for Jupiter to block the potentially hazardous comets and asteroids heading our way. Further, the moon assists the universe to protect human life. Barrow writes, “In the case of the Earth, the modest angle of tile, approximately 223 degrees, would have experienced this erratic evolution had it not been for the presence of the Moon” (126). The Moon helps the Earth remain titled at 23 degrees which “permits the presence of liquid water and stable surface conditions” (126). If the Moon titled and leaned more or less than 23 degrees, then we would not be here. Thus, because Jupiter helps prevent “incoming objects” from hitting the earth (122), and because the Moon keeps the Earth titled in a way that allows for “liquid water and stable surface conditions” (126), the universe is finely tuned for human life.
The instrumental agents of human life are comets and asteroids. Barrow writes, “In moderation, outside interventions may have a positive, accelerating effect upon the evolution of intelligent forms of life.” For example, “when the dinosaurs were extinguished by the impact of a large meteor on the Yucatan peninsula 65 million years ago, the Earth was rescued from an evolutionary dead end” (122). Comets and asteroids have hit the surface of the Earth in the past and they have altered and changed the process of evolution. Since the Creator is intelligent and loving, the comets and asteroids that have hit the Earth in the past have had “a positive, accelerating effect” and guided evolution to the development of human life (122). Thus, because comets and asteroids are tools that bring about human life, and because “the Earth was rescued from an evolutionary dead end” (122), the universe is finely tuned for human life.
The counseling agents of human life are men. Barrow writes, “We have to turn to the anthropic selection to explain why we see the values in the narrow life-supporting range that we do” (285). The Creator made the universe so that the people would come to be and acknowledge that the Creator made the universe. Further, Barrow writes, “An application of the Anthropic Principle is therefore essential” (287). The “Principle” that the universe is finely tuned for human life is “essential” for understanding “the laws, the underlying mathematical logic [and] the number of dimensions of space and time” (277). Thus, because the Creator wanted man to understand that the Creator wanted every man, woman and child, the universe is finely tuned for human life. Barrow writes how a “finely balanced situation existed in the Universe with respect to the existence of life like us” (134).
The history of human life is small. Barrow writes, “Our human history has lasted for less than two hundred thousandths of history of the Universe” (129). Human life has existed on Earth for .o2 percent time that the universe has existed. Further, Barrow writes, “If we look back at how long our intelligent ancestors have been on the scene we find that it is only about 200,000 years, which is much less than the age of the Universe, 13 billion years” (129). The Creator waited patiently for twelve billion and eight hundred thousand years for man to arrive and to become aware of Him. Thus, because the Creator waited patiently for us, the universe is finely tuned for human life.
The signs with the message that universe is tuned for human life are the constants of Nature. Barrow writes, “We have begun to see some of the ways in which the unveiling of new constants of Nature can help organize our understanding of the world” (61). The study of the constants of Nature bring about an “understanding of the world” (61). Further, the constants of Nature give men an understanding of how the Creator wanted us to be here. Barrow writes that the constants of Nature “are like beacons from which we can take our bearings” (61). Thus, because the constants of Nature are signs with both the message of the Universe has order that we can appreciate and the message that the Creator created us to appreciate His creation, the universe is finely tuned for human life.
The motive of human life is to study physics. Barrow writes, “Every week I receive letters… [from]amateurs who dream of finding the numerological explanation for the constants in Nature” (93). “Amateurs” and students of physics let Dr. Barrow know that they are examining the “constants of Nature” and looking for “Eddington’s unified explanation” (94). The reasons for studying physics are to discover the “constants in Nature” (93) and to acknowledge that the Creator arranged the constants in order to bring about creatures like men who can appreciate His work. Thus, because every human person is motivated to study physics and to learn about the constants of Nature, the universe is finely tuned for human life.
The passion of human life is hope. Barrow writes, “Eddington hoped that he could create a theory that would weave together the macroscopic world of astronomy and cosmology with the sub-atomic world of protons and electrons” (87). Some physics students along with Eddington hope to find the “ultimate constants” (86) that will bring together the physics of the “macroscopic world” (87) with the physics of the microscopic world. Further, Barrow writes that Edward Milne (1896-1950) “didn’t believe that any ‘Fundamental Theory’ of Nature could possibly hope to explain coincidences” between the macroscopic and microscopic worlds (109). Milne disagreed with Eddington and did not think that a “unified explanation” (94) is possible. Thus, because the study of physics gives us hope, the universe is finely tuned for human life.
I shall now use my freedom to review the above analysis. Hmm… I shall now use my freedom to make a choice. I have decided that I prefer the principal agent and the preparing agent. I shall now use my freedom to make a command. Everything in the universe is finely tuned for human life, because the Creator chose the number of particles “allotted to our universe” (87), and because the stars prepare the universe for human life (126).
The first objection is to state that the universe is not finely tuned for life, because “everything we once held to be true might one day be overthrown” (3). It is possible that the strong conclusions in this analysis will become weak when physicists learn more about the “constants in Nature” (93) in the future. The reply to the first objection is to state that the current view of the constants of Nature is permanent and necessary. Barrow writes, “There are aspects of the fabric of the Universe which are mysterious in their unshakeable constancy” (3). The conclusions in this analysis are strong and will remain strong as long as the constants, such as the speed of light, remains same.
The second objection is to state the a Creator does not exist. The reply is to state that the Creator does exist, because if everything had a beginning, then nothing would start. But some things started, like minerals, plants, animals and human persons. Thus, not everything had a begging. The Creator has always been present and will remain present forever.
The third objection is that the universe was created by chance. The reply to the third objection is to say that the universe was not created by chance, since chance is a real event in physics that always happens after an established plan. For example, accidentally meeting a friend at the airport depends on one’s plan to go to the airport. Barrow writes, “It is not accident that we find ourselves living billions of years after the apparent beginning of the expansion of the Universe and witnessing a state of expansion that lies close to the critical divide” (183). Thus, because the expansion of the Universe is not too fast or too slow for the development of human life, the universe is finely tuned for human life.
© By Theodore Faulders, June 9, 2019.