Student ID: 4314752
Assess the argument for The Existence of God on the basis of Fine-Tuning.
Our universe is so intricately detailed and suited for life that many think it would be impossible
to have been created this way by chance. The theory of fine-tuning is a design argument which
proposes the universe is so ‘fine-tuned’ (perfectly suited) for life, and thus must have been
designed by an intelligent designer, God. Conversely, there is the idea of the ‘multiverse’, the
proposal that our universe is one of millions of others and happens to be the one that has
everything ‘tuned’ to the correct specific figures of each constant for sustaining life. In this
essay, I will explore both theories before explaining my stance on the idea of fine-tuning and
the creation of the universe.
A universe capable of bearing life requires very incredibly precise values. This idea that the
universe has been designed by an ‘intelligent designer’ has plenty of evidence if one is
considering the probability that the creation of the universe could have happened by chance
instead. There are several examples suggesting this phenomenon (the creation of the universe)
is likely to have been fine tuned to occur in the way it did, as the figures are so precise and
seem almost impossible to be a coincidence.
Starting with the actual creation of the universe, “If the initial explosion of the big bang had
differed in strength by as little as 1 part in 1060, the universe would have either quickly
collapsed back on itself, or expanded too rapidly for stars to form. In either case, life would be
impossible” (Davies, 1982). In addition, calculations prove that if gravity had been even 1 part in
, Student ID: 4314752
10 to the 40th power stronger or weaker, the sun would be unable to exist, making sustaining
life out of the question. A particularly intriguing fact is that if the electromagnetic force were
ever so slightly stronger or weaker, life could not be sustained (Davies, 1982).
Proving this probable impossibility even further, is simply the fact that life is still being
maintained and has been for the past 3.8 billion years.
To put this into a more understandable context, a common analogy for how slim the probability
of this occurring by chance is that of the dart: “One could think of the initial conditions of the
universe and the fundamental parameters of physics as a dart board that fills the whole galaxy,
and the conditions necessary for life to exist as a small one-foot wide target: unless the dart hits
the target, life would be impossible. The fact that the dials are perfectly set, or the dart has hit
the target, strongly suggests that someone set the dials or aimed the dart, for it seems
enormously improbable that such a coincidence could have happened by chance” (Collins,
1998).
Another idea is this: “Consider… finding the defendant's fingerprints on the murder weapon.
Normally, we would take such a finding as strong evidence that the defendant was guilty. Why?
Because we judge that it would be unlikely for these fingerprints to be on the murder weapon if
the defendant was innocent, but not unlikely if the defendant was guilty. That is, we would go
through the same sort of reasoning as in the above case” (Collins, 1998)
Surely, it cannot be coincidence that the earth is so precisely and specifically perfected for life.
It seems far more plausible that a supreme being i.e. God had designed it for life. This provides
Assess the argument for The Existence of God on the basis of Fine-Tuning.
Our universe is so intricately detailed and suited for life that many think it would be impossible
to have been created this way by chance. The theory of fine-tuning is a design argument which
proposes the universe is so ‘fine-tuned’ (perfectly suited) for life, and thus must have been
designed by an intelligent designer, God. Conversely, there is the idea of the ‘multiverse’, the
proposal that our universe is one of millions of others and happens to be the one that has
everything ‘tuned’ to the correct specific figures of each constant for sustaining life. In this
essay, I will explore both theories before explaining my stance on the idea of fine-tuning and
the creation of the universe.
A universe capable of bearing life requires very incredibly precise values. This idea that the
universe has been designed by an ‘intelligent designer’ has plenty of evidence if one is
considering the probability that the creation of the universe could have happened by chance
instead. There are several examples suggesting this phenomenon (the creation of the universe)
is likely to have been fine tuned to occur in the way it did, as the figures are so precise and
seem almost impossible to be a coincidence.
Starting with the actual creation of the universe, “If the initial explosion of the big bang had
differed in strength by as little as 1 part in 1060, the universe would have either quickly
collapsed back on itself, or expanded too rapidly for stars to form. In either case, life would be
impossible” (Davies, 1982). In addition, calculations prove that if gravity had been even 1 part in
, Student ID: 4314752
10 to the 40th power stronger or weaker, the sun would be unable to exist, making sustaining
life out of the question. A particularly intriguing fact is that if the electromagnetic force were
ever so slightly stronger or weaker, life could not be sustained (Davies, 1982).
Proving this probable impossibility even further, is simply the fact that life is still being
maintained and has been for the past 3.8 billion years.
To put this into a more understandable context, a common analogy for how slim the probability
of this occurring by chance is that of the dart: “One could think of the initial conditions of the
universe and the fundamental parameters of physics as a dart board that fills the whole galaxy,
and the conditions necessary for life to exist as a small one-foot wide target: unless the dart hits
the target, life would be impossible. The fact that the dials are perfectly set, or the dart has hit
the target, strongly suggests that someone set the dials or aimed the dart, for it seems
enormously improbable that such a coincidence could have happened by chance” (Collins,
1998).
Another idea is this: “Consider… finding the defendant's fingerprints on the murder weapon.
Normally, we would take such a finding as strong evidence that the defendant was guilty. Why?
Because we judge that it would be unlikely for these fingerprints to be on the murder weapon if
the defendant was innocent, but not unlikely if the defendant was guilty. That is, we would go
through the same sort of reasoning as in the above case” (Collins, 1998)
Surely, it cannot be coincidence that the earth is so precisely and specifically perfected for life.
It seems far more plausible that a supreme being i.e. God had designed it for life. This provides
