Contingency Argument

• For everything that contingently exists, there’s an explanation why it exists rather than not (a reason it exists rather than not, it exists because of something)
• The universe contingently exists.  
• Therefore, there’s an explanation why the universe exists rather than not.
• The explanation cannot be in terms of the universe.
• The explanation must therefore be in terms of a supernatural being.

Cosmic Fine-tuning Argument

• The Field Equation of Einstein’s General Relativity, which calculates the curvature of spacetime, uses two fundamental physical constants: the speed of light and the gravitational constant:
  • c = 299,792,458 meters per second
  • G = 6.67553 × 10⁻¹¹ m³ / s² kg
• Had the values of these constants been just slightly different, stars, planets, and life would not have formed. The fundamental physical constants are thus fine-tuned for life. The question is why.  The only plausible explanation is that an intelligent being created the universe with just those parameters so that life would evolve.

Principle of Sufficient Reason

• The arguments use Leibniz’s Principle of Sufficient Reason
  • “No statement of fact can be true unless there is a sufficient reason why it should be so and not otherwise.” (Monadology 32)
    • jimlambskeptic.com/leibniz/
    • Reason, explanation, why, because
  • Thus there’s an explanation for the existence of the universe and for the values of fundamental physical constants.
• Counterexamples to the Principle
  • If the principles of QM are fundamental, there’s real chance in the universe. Nothing explains why a radioactive particle decays when it does rather than sooner or later.
  • There’s no explanation of fundamental laws of nature.
    • Why is the Field Equation true?  
      • That’s just how things are
      • That’s just the way things are
    • Explanations must end somewhere
    • Brute facts

Contingency Argument

In reply Bertrand Russell argued the universe is “just there, and that’s all.”  Not everything has an explanation, e.g. why a radioactive particle decays when it does rather than sooner or later.   There are inexplicable brute facts and the existence of the universe is one of them.

Cosmic Fine-tuning Argument

There’s no explanation of fundamental laws of nature.  Likewise there’s no explanation of the values of fundamental physical constants.