Is the universe fine tuned for life?
If the universe is fine tuned for life, why is life so rare? The earth is the only planet we know of that has life. There could be many reasons why our universe has life. There could be multiple universes, each with their own natural laws. Some may permit life, while others cannot. Many of the fine tuning arguments show that life is tuned to the universe, and not vice versa. This is exactly what evolution supposes.
The fine tuning argument says nothing about why the universe exists or how it exists to support life. The rarity of life and the long time span before any life appeared (at least on earth) is an argument against the universe being fine tuned for human beings. The reason for fine tuning may be from natural causes, for unknown reasons, or for no reason at all. Please see here and here.
(Smolin, Intelligent Thought, "Darwinism All the Way Down", p. 153-168)
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Evolution Questions:
Common Misconceptions About Evolution
- Can biology be taught without evolution?
- I heard there are hundreds of scientists against evolution. Is this true?
- Isn’t evolution just a theory?
- Scientists are human, and humans make mistakes. How can we trust their conclusions?
- Since evolution can’t explain everything, does that mean it is wrong?
- Since so many people believe in creationism, shouldn’t it be taught as well just to be fair?
- There are only two explanations, creationism or evolution.
Common Creationist Claims
- Creationists say that there is no evidence for evolution and that all the evidence points to creationism. Is this true?
- Did a global flood deposit all the fossils?
- Did Darwin recant on his deathbed?
- Do you want to be descended from a monkey?
- Does evolution violate the second law of thermodynamics?
- Does the entire geologic column exist?
- Has speciation ever been observed?
- How many scientists are actually creationists?
- I have heard people claim that evolution is the cause of all our social problems. Communism, Nazism, racism, lust, greed, hate, all are caused by the teaching of evolution. Is this true?
- I have heard that there are no transitional fossils. Or alternatively, that there are not enough transitional fossils. Is this true?
- I’ve heard that crime rates have gone up since the teaching of evolution began. Surely there must be a correlation?
- If evolution is true, does that mean that there are no morals?
- If humans are descended from apes, why are there still apes around?
- Is Carbon 14 dating accurate?
- Is Creationism scientific?
- Is it possible for evolution to create the diversity of life? I don’t see how it could have happened. Surely it had to have had a creator?
- Is it true that human and dinosaur tracks have been found together at Paluxy River, Texas?
- Is the earth only 6,000 years old?
- Isn’t evolution just another religion?
- Micro evolution occurs, but macro evolution does not. Is this true?
- Piltdown man was a hoax, what does that mean for evolution?
- The Cambrian Explosion shows new creatures appearing suddenly, with no ancestors. There are no Precambrian fossils. How could this occur?
- Were many famous scientists creationists? Newton and Pasteur were creationists.
- Were you there when evolution happened?
- What is Creationism?
Intelligent Design
- As we see design in nature, surely there must be a designer?
- Does Intelligent Design have explanatory power?
- Intelligent Design does not name a designer. Surely it could have been caused be an advanced alien civilization instead of a supernatural entity?
- Is the universe fine tuned for life?
- Some people claim that intelligent design is not creationism and that it is something entirely new. Is this correct?
- Surely Intelligent Design is not religious, but scientific in nature?
- Surely some things are too complex to evolve. Isn’t it true that the human eye and bacteria flagellum are examples of irreducible complexity?