The Metaphysics of the Anthropic Principles

Abstract

The anthropic principles force you to think. And they do so with a tremendous power of persuasion. The extremely precise fit of human existence into the structure of the universe is surprising at first, but after a while suggests various responses. The first thing that comes to mind is the principle of purposefulness. How did the initial conditions know how to fine-tune in order to make our existence possible? With such a high level of fine-tuning, the probability of a random occurrence seems negligible (in addition, for some people the idea that they exist by random chance is repugnant). Purposefulness is associated with the teleological argument for the existence of God. And indeed, the concept of the Grand Designer soon cropped up in discussions on the anthropic principles. But the Positivist and Empiricist traditions in the philosophical environment attending science were still too strong for that concept not to come up against a firm confutation.