tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post114117936384672805..comments2024-03-28T08:58:27.412-07:00Comments on dangerous idea: Plantinga Reviews DennettVictor Repperthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962948073162156902noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-22945163065310676992016-10-03T11:59:42.189-07:002016-10-03T11:59:42.189-07:00There's a far more compelling argument against...There's a far more compelling argument against fine tuning. The universe is expanding, at an accelerating rate. Scientists cannot explain this; the best they can do is postulate "dark energy". But it seems to me the explanation is obvious.<br /><br />Presumably, space is not continuous below the Planck scale. Also, presumably, the Planck units remain constant as the universe expands. This means that space is a countable set of points, with new points continually appearing.<br /><br />If each point of space contains its own instance of the laws of physics, then the existence of space as an effective continuum depends on the compatibility of those instances. Points with laws that don't fit in will fade away. Thus the overall laws would have <i>evolved</i> so as to maximize the stability of the universe.<br /><br />Not only does get rid of the Multiverse assumption, but Inflation as well. Near the beginning of time, a partially formed set of laws of physics would have allowed unruly behavior, such as energy traveling at unlimited speeds. Hence no need for a hypothetical process to have spread it around.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-19421188246739632102014-10-11T09:50:08.206-07:002014-10-11T09:50:08.206-07:00"Waal, shore, Tex, I know it's a leetle m... "Waal, shore, Tex, I know it's a leetle mite suspicious that every time I deal I git four aces and a wild card, but have you considered the following? Possibly there is an infinite succession of universes, so that for any possible distribution of possible poker hands, there is a universe in which that possibility is realized; we just happen to find ourselves in one where someone like me always deals himself only aces and wild cards without ever cheating. So put up that shootin' arn and set down 'n shet yore yap, ya dumb galoot." <br /><br />The problem I see with the analogy used in the OP is that we know the probability space of poker hands so that getting four aces and a wild card all the time will be surprising no matter which universe is actual. Observing life among the different universes that are actual will have to be constrained by the existence of life itself in that non-observation of life will be out-selected.<br /><br />A more apt analogy will be a poker game where numerous iterations of hands are quickly dealt and only those showing four aces and a wild card can be shown to the dealer because of a filter. Surely, getting four aces and a wild card in that situation will not tell us whether the deck is stacked. It's only the viewing that's stacked via the filter (life observing life).Aragornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17161621090445639028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-25586151719738090982014-10-07T20:32:13.357-07:002014-10-07T20:32:13.357-07:00Seems he can dish it out, but he can't take it...<i>Seems he can dish it out, but he can't take it!</i><br /><br />No need to exaggerate, Bob.<br /><br />John can barely dish it out.Crudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04178390947423928444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-19495009402483246082014-10-07T18:44:53.003-07:002014-10-07T18:44:53.003-07:00This was actually redated from years ago, so it...This was actually redated from years ago, so it's Breaking the Spell. Victor Repperthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10962948073162156902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-20463270320312315472014-10-07T09:54:02.014-07:002014-10-07T09:54:02.014-07:00What's Dennett's new book?What's Dennett's new book?Saints and Scepticshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09133878366479064658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-85226566490742253842014-10-07T06:48:26.655-07:002014-10-07T06:48:26.655-07:00Did you see The New Republic's article on Dawk...Did you see The New Republic's article on Dawkins? It reference's Arthur Balfour's AFR, and Plantinga's. http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119596/appetite-wonder-review-closed-mind-richard-dawkinsfinneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12716499100306513674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10584495.post-35760719061652395012014-10-07T06:27:31.549-07:002014-10-07T06:27:31.549-07:00Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
Nothing to do with this topic...<b>Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!</b><br /><br />Nothing to do with this topic, but about a week ago I did something I almost <i>never</i> do, which is post a comment over at Loftus's website. I checked back once a day to see whether anyone had responded to it, and this morning I discover that John has deleted me!<br /><br />Seems he can dish it out, but he can't take it!B. Prokophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10548980245078214688noreply@blogger.com