Is the Universe Designed?Is the Universe Designed?

Revd Dr Rodney HolderRevd Dr Rodney HolderThe Faraday Institute for Science The Faraday Institute for Science

and Religion, St Edmund’s and Religion, St Edmund’s College, CambridgeCollege, Cambridge

www.faraday-institute.orgwww.faraday-institute.org

Is the Universe Designed?Is the Universe Designed?

The Big BangThe Big Bang Specialness of the Big Bang: Cosmic Specialness of the Big Bang: Cosmic

Fine-TuningFine-Tuning Explanations: Why a Multiverse?Explanations: Why a Multiverse? Problems for MultiversesProblems for Multiverses

The Big BangThe Big Bang

The Big BangThe Big Bang

Predicted by LemaPredicted by Lemaître from ître from Einstein’s equationsEinstein’s equations

Extremely well-supported by Extremely well-supported by evidence, especially:evidence, especially:

-- Cosmic background radiationCosmic background radiation

-- Manufacture of light elementsManufacture of light elements

-- More active galaxies at largest More active galaxies at largest distancesdistances

Specialness of the Big Specialness of the Big BangBang

Initial conditionsInitial conditions Physical constantsPhysical constants

Paul DaviesPaul Davies

‘‘Like the porridge in Like the porridge in the tale of Goldilocks the tale of Goldilocks and the three bears, and the three bears, the universe seems to the universe seems to be “just right” for life, be “just right” for life, in so many intriguing in so many intriguing ways.’ways.’

Examples of Fine-TuningExamples of Fine-Tuning

Density at the beginning is right to 1 Density at the beginning is right to 1 part in 10part in 106060

Ratio of forces is just right for Ratio of forces is just right for carbon carbon andand oxygen to be oxygen to be manufactured in starsmanufactured in stars

Cosmological constant is right to 1 Cosmological constant is right to 1 part in 10part in 10120120

Sir Fred HoyleSir Fred Hoyle

A superintellect A superintellect has monkeyed with has monkeyed with physics, as well as physics, as well as with chemistry and with chemistry and biology, and there biology, and there are no blind forces are no blind forces worth speaking worth speaking about in nature. about in nature.

Explanations: Why a Explanations: Why a Multiverse?Multiverse?

Design by God?Design by God?

IsIs There Really Anything to There Really Anything to Explain?Explain?

What are the Alternative What are the Alternative Explanations to Design?Explanations to Design?

Possible strategies for the atheistPossible strategies for the atheist

1.1. Only 1 set of laws possibleOnly 1 set of laws possible

2.2. A multiverseA multiverse

Problems with the atheist Problems with the atheist strategiesstrategies

For 1: For 1: Why does the only self-Why does the only self-consistent set of laws give rise to consistent set of laws give rise to life?life?

For 2: For 2: Why this multiverse, which Why this multiverse, which gives rise to at least one life-bearing gives rise to at least one life-bearing universe, as opposed to another?universe, as opposed to another?

How do physicists conceive How do physicists conceive of multiverses?of multiverses?

Quantum branchingQuantum branching Cyclic modelsCyclic models Different regions within a single Different regions within a single

over-arching spaceover-arching space

Problems for MultiversesProblems for Multiverses

Physics speculativePhysics speculative Problem about infinitiesProblem about infinities Human identityHuman identity Hypothesis not simpleHypothesis not simple Lack of predictabilityLack of predictability Fine-tuning still requiredFine-tuning still required Amount of order in the universeAmount of order in the universe Fake universesFake universes

Comparing the Comparing the ExplanationsExplanations

(1)(1) MultiverseMultiverse

▪▪ ComplexComplex

▪▪ Doesn’t explain why there Doesn’t explain why there should be lifeshould be life

▪▪ This universe looks too specialThis universe looks too special

Comparing the Comparing the ExplanationsExplanations

(2)(2) GodGod

▪▪ SimpleSimple

▪▪ Explains why there should be Explains why there should be lifelife

▪▪ Explains why the universe is so Explains why the universe is so specialspecial

Georges Lemaître Georges Lemaître

There were two ways of There were two ways of arriving at the truth. I arriving at the truth. I decided to follow them decided to follow them both.both.