The Anthropic Principle

Written by Jeff Yeager

The Anthropic Principle Defined

The anthropic principle is the name given to the observation that the universe and/or earth gives every indication of being designed specifically to support life.  The word anthropic means: of or relating to human beings or the period of their existence on earth {1}.  The idea that the universe is created to support human life is nothing new to Christians, but it's very threatening to the naturalist and they will go to great lengths to try to deny the implications of the anthropic principle.

Fine Tuning Quantified

There are at least 26 universal constants that must be finely tuned for the universe to even be capable of supporting life {2}.  Over time, as our understanding of the universe grows, the trend has been for more to be added to the list and for the degree of fine-tuning required to be narrowed.

1.	Strong nuclear force constant	if larger: no hydrogen. if smaller: only hydrogen.
2.	Weak nuclear force constant	if larger: too much hydrogen converted to helium in the big bang, hence too much heavy element material made by burning stars, therefore no expulsion of heavy elements from stars. if smaller: too little helium from big bang, hence too little heavy elements made from stars, no expulsion of heavy elements from stars
3.	Gravitational force constant	if larger: stars would be too hot and burn too quickly. if smaller: stars would remain so cool nuclear fusion would never ignite.
4.	Electromagnetic force constant	if larger: insufficient chemical bonding. elements more massive than boron would be too unstable for fission. if smaller: insufficient chemical bonding.
5.	The ratio of the electromagnetic force constant to gravitational force constant	if larger: no stars less than 1.4 solar masses, hence short stellar life spans. if smaller: no stars more than .8 solar masses, hence no heavy element production.
6.	Ratio of electron to proton mass	if larger or smaller: insufficient chemical bonding.
7.	The ratio of the numbers of protons to electrons.	if larger or smaller: electromagnetism would dominate gravity preventing galaxy, star and planet formation.
8.	The expansion rate of the universe	if larger: no galaxies would have formed. if smaller: universe would have collapsed on itself prior to star formation.
9.	The entropy level of the universe	if smaller: no proto-galaxy formation. if larger: no star condensation within the proto-galaxies.
10.	The mass density of the universe	if larger: too much deuterium from the big bang, hence stars would burn too rapidly. if smaller: insufficient helium from the big bang, hence too few elements forming.
11.	Velocity of light	if faster: no solar-type stars in a stable burning phase in the right part of the galaxy. if slower: stars would not be luminous enough.
12.	The age of the universe	if older: no solar-type stars would be left in a stable burning phase in the right part of the galaxy. if younger: solar-type stars in a stable burning phase would not yet have formed.
13.	The initial uniformity of radiation	if smoother: stars, star clusters, galaxies would not have formed. if coarser: universe would by now be mostly black holes and empty space.
14.	The fine structure constant (the number used to describe structure splitting of spectral lines).	if larger: DNA would be unable to function and no stars more than .7 solar masses. if smaller: DNA would also be unable to function, no stars less than 1.8 solar masses.
15.	Average distance between galaxies	if larger: insufficient gas would be infused into our galaxy to sustain star formation of an adequate timespan. if smaller: the sun's orbit would be too radically disturbed.
16.	Average distance between stars	if larger: heavy element density too thin for rocky planets to form. if smaller: planetary orbits would become destabilized.
17.	The decay rate of the proton	if greater: life would be exterminated by the release of radiation. if smaller: insufficient matter in the universe for life.
18.	Carbon-12 to Oxygen-16 energy level ratio	if larger: insufficient oxygen. if smaller: insufficient carbon.
19.	Ground state energy level for helium-4.	if larger or smaller: insufficient carbon and oxygen.
20.	Decay rate of beryllium-8.	if slower: heavy element fusion would generate catastrophic explosions in all the stars. if faster: no element production beyond beryllium so no life chemistry possible.
21.	Ratio of masses of the neutron vs the proton.	if greater: neutron decay would leave too few neutrons to form the heavy elements essential for life. if smaller: proton decay would cause all stars to collapse rapidly into neutron stars or black holes.
22.	Initial excess of nucleons over anti-nucleons.	if greater: too much radiation for planets to form. if smaller: not enough matter for galaxies or stars to form.
23.	The polarity of the water molecule.	if greater: heat of fusion and vaporization would be too great for life to exist. if smaller: heat of fusion and vaporization would be too small for life's existence;  liquid water would become too inferior a solvent for life chemistry to proceed; ice would not float, leading to a runaway freeze-up.
24.	Supernovae eruptions.	if too close: radiation would exterminate life on earth. if too far: not enough heavy element ashes for the formation of rocky planets. if too frequent: life on the planet would be exterminated. if too infrequent: not enough heavy element ashes for the formation of rocky planets. if too late: life on the planet would be exterminated by radiation. if too soon: not enough heavy element ashes for rocky planet formation.
25.	Formation  of white dwarf binaries.	too few: insufficient fluorine produced for life chemistry. if too many: disruption of planetary orbits from stellar density; life on earth would be exterminated. if too soon: not enough heavy elements made for efficient fluorine production. if too late: fluorine made too late for incorporation into proto-planet.
26.	The ratio of exotic to ordinary matter.	if smaller: galaxies would not form, if larger: universe would collapse before solar type stars could form.

These scientific facts are not really in debate within the scientific community. Of course, the conclusions drawn from them certainly are.  The question is definitely not one of scientic facts, it's one of underlying philosophy. 

Let's close this article with some quotes from a few preeminent scientists.

"a superintellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology"{3}

"The laws [of physics]...seem themselves to be the product of exceedingly ingenious design" {4}

"[there] is for me powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all....It seems as though somebody has fine-tuned nature's numbers to make the Universe....The impression of design is overwhelming". {5}

"I would say the universe has a purpose. It's not there just somehow by chance." {6}

In future articles we will cover the anthropic principle, in regard to the qualities required for a life-sustaining planet, and cover the typical objections to the anthropic principle as evidence of God.

Notes:

1. Miriam-Webster Dictionary
2. Hugh Ross, The Creator and the Cosmos
3. Fred Hoyle, The Universe, p16
4. Paul Davies, The Cosmic Blueprint, p203
5. Paul Davies, "The Anthropic Principle", Science Digest 191, no. 10, p24
6. Roger Penrose, A Brief History of Time (movie)

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