Evidence for God from Cosmology Richard Deem Evidence

Evidence for God from Cosmology Richard Deem Evidence for God

The Greatest Discovery (COBE, 1992) l “unbelievably important. . . They have found the Holy Grail of cosmology” Michael Turner (University of Chicago) l “It is the discovery of the century, if not all time” Stephen Hawking (Cambridge University, UK) l “What we have found is evidence for the birth of the universe. It’s like looking at God. ” George Smoot (UC Berkeley - COBE project leader)

Relativity vs. The Newtonian Universe l Michelson and Morely (1887) Velocity of light l Einstein (1905) Special Relativity (E = mc 2) l Einstein (1915) General Relativity

General Relativity Einstein Discovers God where: =density p=pressure G=constant of gravity c=speed of light

Origins of the Big Bang Theory l Vesto Slipher (1914) “Nebulae” receding from the earth l Alexander Friedman (1922) Expansion of the universe l Hubble (1929) Law of Red-Shifts

Hot Big Bang Model l George Gamow (1946) First hot big bang model l Bell Labs (1965) First background radiation measurement l Cosmic Background Explorer (1992) Ripples in background radiation

Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) l Universe is a perfect radiator (to 1 part in 10, 000)- background temperature of 2. 726°K (1990) l Refined COBE measurements showed irregularities of 1 part in 100, 000 (1992)

COBE DMR

Alternate Models l. Infinite/eternal Universe l. Steady State Universe l. Oscillating Universe l. The Hartle-Hawking Model l. Quantum Cosmology

Infinite/Eternal Universe Problems l. Paradox of the Dark Night Sky l. Light decreases 4 -fold with doubling of distance l. Volume (or number of stars) increases 8 -fold with doubling of distance

Steady State Universe l. No stars greater than 16 billion years old l. No newly formed galaxies (all formed at same time)

Oscillating universe l Only 10 -50% of matter needed for collapse (open universe) l A collapse would lead to “Big Crunch” instead of bounce

The Universe as an Engine System or Engine Diesel Engine Gasoline Engine Steam Engine Human Body Universe Mechanical Efficiency 40% 25 12 1% 0. 00000001%

The Hartle-Hawking Model l. Quantum physics invoked prior to 10 -43 second, to eliminate the singularity l. Requires use of imaginary time

Problems in Quantum Cosmology l Observer based - who is the observer? l The universe represents a very long quantum "moment"

Implications of Big Bang l. Time, space, matter and energy all came into existence at once l. Time is a created dimension

Objections to the Big Bang l “philosophically unacceptable” (atheist John Maddox, “Down with the Big Bang”in Nature) l “smacks of divine intervention” (Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of Time ).

Evidence for God’s Existence from Design l Divine Watchmaker (William Paley) l Refuted by: l. David Hume l. Charles Darwin l Recently by: l. Stephen Jay Gould l. Richard Dawkins

New Watchmaker Argument l Based upon measurable parameters l Probabilities calculable from the observable universe l Tolerance for change (fine tuning) calculable from physical laws

A “Just Right” Universe Maximum Parameter Deviation Ground state of He, Be, C, O ± 4% Mass of neutron ± 0. 1% Electron: Proton Ratio ± 1: 1037 Electromagnetic force: gravity ± 1: 1040 Expansion rate of universe ± 1: 1055 Cosmological Constant ± 1: 10120

A “Just Right” Galaxy Parameter Galaxy size Galaxy type Galaxy location Supernovae eruptions White dwarf binaries Probability 0. 1 0. 01