Monday 26 May 2008

The anthropic principle

There is this rule of logic that xians ignore called the anthropic principle. Basically it points out that in order to ask a question things have to be the way they are. So to ask why the universe is finely tuned is illogical as we wouldnt be able to ask the question if it wasnt. The same applies to the question 'why did the first xians believe jebus rose from the dead?' If they didnt believe that then we wouldnt be asking the question. All the following also commit the anthropic principle:

-why did people write the bible?
-how do we know that murder is wrong?
-why did the big bang happen
-why do so many people believe in sky daddies?

Each one of those questions can be answered by pointing out that we wouldnt be able to ask the question if it wasnt the case. I think you xians are going to have to come up with some more arguments that dont commit the anthropic principle.

2 comments:

Nick said...

Dude. You don't even know what the anthropic principle is. Picture this scenario:

You've been condemned to death by a firing squad in an enclosed area. A dozen sharpshooters armed with the finest rifles with scopes are set to shoot at you as you're tied to a pole unable to move. You hear the call "FIRE!"

You close your eyes and realize oddly that you can open them. Every single one of them missed. You know they did for you heard bullets firing and you smell smoke.

The guy in charge tells them to reload. You close your eyes again as you hear "FIRE!" You hear the guns go off and again open your eyes.

The commander thinks fate has you on its side and sets you free. Someone says "Wow. You were lucky." You reply "Of course they all missed. I wouldn't be here if they hadn't."

That's not the question though. The question is "Why did they all miss?" That is what the true anthropic principle gets at.

Which you are clueless on.

Anonymous said...

Mike wrote:
"There is this rule of logic that xians ignore called the anthropic principle. Basically it points out that in order to ask a question things have to be the way they are. So to ask why the universe is finely tuned is illogical as we wouldnt be able to ask the question if it wasnt."

Do you realise that this says nothing, one way or the other, about natural origins vs. special Creation?

Secondly, the question, "why is the universe finely tuned?" is not an illogical question. Unless you would also concider, "why is my tire flat?" OR "why is my hammer not where it is supposed to be?" as also invalid or illogical questions.

By using the athropic principle in the way that you are understanding it, give rise to answers about the tire or the hammer as, "well, if it wasn't flat, you wouldn't need to ask the question" OR "if the hammer wasn't missing, you wouldn't be complaining". In the case of the tire, we ask it, so that we can find out if the tire need fixing before re-inflating or if it just needs to be pumped up.
In the case of the hammer, we ask it, in order to find out where the hammer is. i.e did your kid not put it away? or was it you who left it somewhere? or was it loaned out?

"Why is the universe finely tuned?" is a valid question, since it allows for further investigation of the universe (but it implies that it is finely tuned ;) ).

Mike wrote:

"The same applies to the question 'why did the first xians believe jebus rose from the dead?' If they didnt believe that then we wouldnt be asking the question."

Here are two possible answers that might show you that your understanding of the anthropic principle is flawed:

1)Because Jesus really did rise from the dead.

2)They were mistaken.

Mike wrote:
"All the following also commit the anthropic principle:
-why did people write the bible?
-how do we know that murder is wrong?
-why did the big bang happen
-why do so many people believe in sky daddies?"


None of these questions are invalid questions.

If you think that they are invalid, then the question:
"Why is Mike Wright always wrong?"
is answered with, "Because if he was not always wrong, he might sometimes be right."




Mikey, your writing style has change some, and you had quite a few less incorrectly spelled words.
Did you perhaps copy & paste your information from somewhere else?

Regardless... you still have not given any actual arguments. Your material is, at best, special pleading.

good luck,
johnny