Sean Carroll - Why Fine-tuning Seems Designed

If all is random and our universe is the only universe, the chance existence of human awareness would seem incredible. Because the laws of physics would have to be so carefully calibrated to enable stars and planets to form and life to emerge, it would seem to require some kind of design. But there are other explanations.

Sean Carroll is Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and fractal faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. His research focuses on fundamental physics and cosmology.

Closer To Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[tedgrant]

My digital piano doesn't need tuning.
It's a miracle !

[blindlemonpledge]

Douglas Adams' Intelligent Puddle analogy is a prime example of a Shabby Friar joke ( ref from H.Allen Smith, p.152 "How to Write Without Knowing Nothing")

[alfresco]

The real question for theists is "How would a universe NOT created by a god differ from the one we already inhabit?" It couldn't be any less than what we have, or it would be unstable and we wouldn't be here to ask questions about it.

[arthurwieczorek]

"Let me give you the wrong answer to that." That's brilliant. I have to try and use that some time. So there is counter argument, question, and give the wrong answer, or even a wronger answer.

[NewbFixer]

Sean is the best, thank you for taking the time to communicate with us the public. We really really appreciate it.

[MyJam]

Since these constants can be tweaked and life will still exist (they don’t have to be precise and there acceptable ranges) aren’t there an infinite amount of values they could be and there would still be no problem? I’m not sure what I’m missing.

[robertm]

People who claim “fine-tuning” to be a “thing”, are looking it from the unlikely angle, where god/god-like creature dictated the “initial parameters”, whereas logically thinking, everything that is/ exists, has been dictated by the initial parameters regardless of, if there was “a designer” for this location & time.

[cavejohnson]

What is the probability that we exist in a fine tuned universe by chance vs the probability that we exist as a Boltzmann brain?

[bazyt]

Liking how Sean tackles these questions, very clear and direct, great to listen to.

[thefactoryratgenius]

The claim is that if you changed the parameters of the universe then life AS WE KNOW IT could not exist, not that no life could exist.

[luisg.ontoriaalvarez]

How is believing in powerful beings that created us in a matrix reasonable but believing in God is not reasonable?

[orver]

Calling it “fine-tuned” assumes a “tuner.” It’s a circular argument.

[landspide]

Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Anthropic principle best explains it, in the space of infinity a single roll that works is all that is needed.

[Jinxed]

I've heard many arguments concerning fine tuning. In virtually every argument, regardless of which side of the fence the speaker may be on, there is some degree of separation the speaker inadvertently places between us and the rest of the universe. It's often subtle, but not always. The phrasing, be it subtle or otherwise, implies that there is the universe, and then there is us looking back at it or riding a sort of rail above it, etc. Sometimes hard to hear, but it's in there.

When you work to eliminate that separation, sometimes very difficult to do, you end up with a very different conversation. It takes speaking in terms of everything that happens being part of the functions and properties of the universe.

Just a observation I made that I find interesting.

[ameralbadry]

What kind of fine tuning that takes 14 billion years to make a human being, guys it’s completely random and accidental
No Gods, just everlasting space

[collinsanyanvoh]

I think a simple probability question, like what is the chance for chaotic useless mass of combined materials forming a useful product within a period of time could be of great help.

[antinatalope]

In retrospect, everything seems fine-tuned or designed. Forget the fact that life adjusted and evolved despite the universe, not because the universe was made for life.

[apparentbeing]

The sea seems to be fine-tuned for the waves, but it just seems that way

[arthurwieczorek]

3:00. Giving the story of the relationship and development between the mass of the electron and humankind, and all the things inbetween, that is the general project of science.

[jonathanspruance]

We're part of the universe and not separate from it. We're a temporary expression of the universe. So is the universe fine tuned for the universe? The question melts away.