Quote from jem:
you do not really think that STU took those arguments seriously.
emply a litlle logic.
could I believe there is a God and at the same time believe the universe might look random to science. Yes.
could Susskind or anyone else be wrong about multiple universes and still correct about the anthropic priciple giving the appearance of design. Yes could be.
so none of Stu's arguments really meant anything. He was just looking to get a rise out of someone.
Employ a little logic...ok.
As far as we observe, there is only one universe.
This universe has a cosmological constant.
The cosmological constant appears condusive to human life.
A small change in the cosmological constant appears to disfavor human life.
Q: What is the probability of the cosmological constant being different?
A: 0%. There is only one observable universe, and it has the cosmological constant that it does.
If you have a roulette wheel with only one number, then estimating the probabilty of the ball going in the slot by chance or design becomes a meaningless exercise, because the ball will go into the slot regardless of whether or not it was intended to in advance -- that's the only place the ball can go.
If you have a river that runs to the sea, then that's where the river runs. The probability the the water in the river will not run to the sea is 0% (excluding a dam, diversion, evaporation, etc.).
If any event is absolutely certain to occur, or it has already occured, then any discussion about its likelihood is a waste of brain cells.
The universe is what it is; so, is the cosmological constant; so is the existence of human life. They "is" what they "is."
Could it have been otherwise? No, it could not, because this is the only universe that there is (as far as can be observed).
If God created this universe, then the constant was obviously created with human life in mind. And, if God didn't create the universe, then the cosmological constant is as much what it is because human life exists, as human life exists because the cosmological constant is what it is.
Silly discussion.