Jul 11, 2018 the discoverability of the universe is made even more striking by work from robin collins, who suggests that it, too, requires a particular kind of fine tuning. The finetuning design argument discovery institute. Nature of project and summary of sections historically, the argument from design probably has been the most widely cited argument for the existence of god, both in the west and the east such as in. He is wellversed in issues relating to science and religion, with graduatelevel training in theoretical physics. He earned his phd in philosophy at the university of notre dame 1993 and has graduate.
His main interests include the relationship between religion and science and philosophical theology. I present part of robin collins defense of the finetuning argument fta and a brief response. A curious move in robin collins defense of the fine. He is internationally recognized as a leading expert on the finetuning of the universe for life and its philosophical implications. Robin collins is the distinguished professor of philosophy at messiah college in grantham, pa. Robin collins is a professor of philosophy and chair of the department of philosophy at messiah college. Nov 30, 2016 as a part of basic reminders, it is worth the effort to read and watch how robin collins put the case in summary, in a classic essay on the fine tuning design argument 1998.
This article was published in skeptic magazine issue 19. Jun 01, 20 he has a background in both physics and philosophy and will be discussing how the specific physical constants and conditions in the universe are finelytuned for intelligent life and how this. If covers modern cosmology and some of the big questions of our times, in particular the issue of anthropomorphism how fine tuned our universe is. He has a background in both physics and philosophy and will be discussing how the specific physical constants and conditions in the universe are finelytuned for intelligent life and how this.
The literature presenting the evidence for finetuning is fairly extensive, with books by theoretical physicist paul davies 1982, physicists john. May 25, 2008 i recently skimmed robin collins chapter on the fine tuning version of the design argument in the rationality of theism ed. Professor robin collins is distinguished professor of philosophy at messiah college in pennsylvania. Robin collins offers three design arguments for the existence of god, with the primary fine tuning argument contending that life or intelligent life depends for its existence on the fact that a number of physical parameters of the universe have numerical values that fall within a range of lifepermitting values that is very narrow. An excellent new paper by robin collins on finetuning. He has done extensive research on the relation between physics and religion and is currently completing a book tentatively titled the welltempered universe. Why god exists finetuning, beauty, and discoverability. Professor collins recent work explores the ways in which the laws and fundamental parameters of the universe appear to be optimized for our ability to do science and discover the universe. Here we have all of the number for fine tuning for life given by collins.
He currently serves as professor of philosophy and chair of the department of philosophy at messiah college in grantham, pennsylvania. The finetuning argument and the problem of poor design. So, for instance, collins calculates that the baryon to photon ratio could have had any one of a wide range values without compromising the ability of the universe to support life, but. Collins many awards and distinctions include a templeton foundation science and religion course award in 2000, a pew foundation fellowship for the academic year 19992000 for his forthcoming book, the well tempered universe. I wrote a paper on the fine tuning argument presented by robin collins. Fine tuning argument the finetuning design argument. Im taking a philosophy class at a local community collage. If you enjoy this author, check out these resources. The finetuning for discoverability semantic scholar. Building theodicy, the blackwell companion to the problem of evil, 222235, 2014. Collins core finetuning argument, international journal for philosophy of religion, 76, 2, 209. How to rigorously define fine tuning by robin collins, note. Finetuning in cosmology in philosophy of physical science.
Ive been working on a project, and a draft of part of it is below. The case for cosmic design 2008 robin collins the evidence. He has written over fortyfive substantial articles and book chapters in philosophy with some of. He has done some extensive work on the finetuning of the universe and why the features we see point to the existence of god. Nature of project and summary of sections historically, the argument from design probably has been the most widely cited argument for the existence of god, both in the west and the east such as in theistic schools of hinduism. This is a draft of a chapter to appear in the book on the fine tuning argument, tentatively entitled the welltempered universe.
Bradley monton 2006 british journal for the philosophy of science 57 2. In it he criticizes a number of my previous arguments, to which i will respond here. Collins has written many articles and book chapters on such topics as the finetuning of the cosmos as evidence for design, quantum mechanics, asian philosophies and religions, the doctrine of christian atonement, evolution and original sin, petitionary prayer,t he relation of the mind to the body, and the metaphysics of the natural world. Explain collinss finetuning argument for gods existence. This chapter should give the basic idea of my approach to defining the comparison range, and my response to. How to rigorously define finetuning by robin collins, note. The authors engaging and witty style addresses what finetuning might mean for the future of physics and the search for the ultimate laws of nature. Join facebook to connect with robin collins and others you may know. A blog post by our research professor in philosophy, dr. Suppose we went on a mission to mars, and found a domed structure in which everything was set up just right for life to exist. Life in a finely tuned cosmos by geraint lewis and luke barnes, is a nice up to date book for the general educated public on modern physics and cosmology.
May 29, 2015 he has a background in both physics and philosophy and will be discussing how the specific physical constants and conditions in the universe are finelytuned for intelligent life and how this. Here i primarily want to explore another kind of fine tuning and its implications for this debate. Belief in the fine tuned universe led to the expectation that the large hadron collider would produce evidence of physics beyond the standard model. The second section focuses on teleological arguments from physical cosmology the apparent finetuning of various cosmological constants and conditions of our universe for life with excellent material by davies, craig, collins and mcgrew.
Astrophysical fine tuning, naturalism, and the contemporary design argument. He earned his phd in philosophy at the university of. I present part of robin collins defense of the fine tuning argument fta and a brief response. Collins is the foremost defender of what is known as the teleological argument for the existence of god. Robin collins on the finetuning argument keith parsons. I recently skimmed robin collins chapter on the finetuning version of the design argument in the rationality of theism ed. Christian philosopher robin collins of messiah college presented the case for finetuning in an accompanying chapter.
Belief in the finetuned universe led to the expectation that the large hadron collider would produce evidence of physics beyond the standard model. However, by 2012 results from the lhc had ruled out the class of supersymmetric theories that may have explained the fine tuning. Robin collins distinguished professor of philosophy. The case for cosmic design 2008 robin collins the evidence fine tuning of laws for life fine tuning of constants other types of fine tuning for life summary of fine tuning for life argument beauty and elegance of laws. The discoverability of the universe is made even more striking by work from robin collins, who suggests that it, too, requires a particular kind of finetuning. As a part of basic reminders, it is worth the effort to read and watch how robin collins put the case in summary, in a classic essay on the finetuning design argument 1998. Tuning of the cosmos, the blackwell companion to science and christianity. Todays interview is with robin collins, professor of philosophy at messiah college. However, by 2012 results from the lhc had ruled out the class of supersymmetric theories that may have explained the finetuning. I have developed a detailed argument elsewhere collins, 2009 that the fine tuning evidence does provide strong confirmatory evidence for theism over naturalism. Ive also read about 15 or so books on finetuning and this book covers as much or. Robin collins, god, design, and finetuning philpapers.
Tuning of the cosmos a fresh look at its implications. The section on cosmic fine tuning features a chapter written by dr. The temperature, for example, was set around 70 o f and the humidity was at 50%. Question im taking a philosophy class at a local community collage. A curious move in robin collins defense of the finetuning. He earned his phd in philosophy at the university of notre dame 1993 and has graduatelevel training in theoretical physics from the university of texas at austin. We could elaborate the physics involved, and put the reasoning in the form of bayes theorem. This chapter is a highly abridged version of an inprocess booklength project in which. One of the foremost proponents of the teleological argument is robin collins. He has a background in both physics and philosophy and will be discussing how the specific physical constants.
The second section focuses on teleological arguments from physical cosmology the apparent fine tuning of various cosmological constants and conditions of our universe for life with excellent material by davies, craig, collins and mcgrew. The multiverse provides a very simple, purely natural, solution to the finetuning problem. He has done some extensive work on the fine tuning of the universe and why the features we see point to the existence of god. The finetuning design argument a scientific argument for the existence of god september 1, 1998 intelligent design i. Introduction 1 the evidence of finetuning suppose we went on a mission to mars, and found a domed structure in which everything was set up just right for life to exist.
So you get both sides of many interesting issues, at a very advanced level. Collins has written many articles and book chapters on such topics as the finetuning of the cosmos as. What do finetuning and the multiverse say about god. The section on cosmic finetuning features a chapter written by dr. Professor collins is widely regarded as the foremost expert on the finetuning argument, an argument for the existence of god based on the extraordinarily precise structure that the universe must have for life to exist. My guest today is robin collins one of the contributors to both my volumes on apologetics, debating chrsitian theism oxford, 2011 and christian apologetics.
Robin collins offers three design arguments for the existence of god, with the primary finetuning argument contending that life or intelligent life depends for its existence on the fact that a number of physical parameters of the universe have numerical values that fall within a range of lifepermitting values that is very narrow. Free christian apologetics resources capturing christianity. I have developed a detailed argument elsewhere collins, 2009 that the finetuning evidence does provide strong confirmatory evidence for theism over naturalism. Click here for more thoughts on what i finetuned universe means click here for more interviews with robin collins. Robin collins lectures on the finetuning argument at. Robin collins is associate professor of philosophy at messiah college. Here i primarily want to explore another kind of finetuning and its implications for this debate. The fine tuning design argument a scientific argument for the existence of god september 1, 1998 intelligent design i.
Stenger brings the arguments uptodate with a discussion of the eternal multiverse hypothesis. Professor collins is widely regarded as the foremost expert on the fine tuning argument, an argument for the existence of god based on the extraordinarily precise structure that the universe must have for life to exist. I had read it before about a year or so ago, but i didnt catch a problem i noticed this time around. Why the universe is not designed for us in which he showed that, based on our knowledge of this universe alone, divine finetuning claims are without merit, victor j. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. He specializes in philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and philosophical theology. Introduction1 the evidence of fine tuning suppose we went on a mission to mars, and found a domed structure in which everything was set up just right for life to exist. In this essay, as a followup to his book, the fallacy of finetuning. His training is in physics and in philosophy and he is a leading advocate for using the finetuning of the universe as a design argument for theism. Yes, there is strong cosmological evidence for the fine tuning of the universe that points to a designer. Robin collins phd, university of notre dame, 1993, is professor of philosophy at messiah college, grantham, pa specializing in the area of science and religion.
Robin collins messiah, a private christian college in pa. Nonetheless, even if none of the cases of purported finetuning were wellestablished, the argument would still have significant force. In collins article the teleological argument for the blackwell companion to natural theology, he states that the evidence for finetuning of the universe for life falls into three categories, 211 namely. Robin collins, how to rigorously define finetuning philpapers. Finetuning and the prior probability of theism the good. Tuning and cosmology, the physics of theism, 58101, 2014.
Robin collins is especially qualified to address this topic. This is a draft of a chapter to appear in the book on the finetuning argument, tentatively entitled the welltempered universe. Robin collins on cosmological fine tuning uncommon descent. For example, if gravity did not exist, masses would not clump together to form stars or. Religion and science revisited by robin collins articles. He has a background in both physics and philosophy and will be discussing how the specific physical constants and conditions in the universe are. Finetuning the universe robin collins at pepperdine. Robin collinss finetuning argument for gods existence.
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