Now the amazing thing about God is that….well, He’s so amazing! You see, in the first two chapters we’ve let science establish the fact that the Universe had a beginning. And if a beginning…..well, then it had a Beginner. But there’s so much more to the argument. God’s purposes are revealed through the magnificent design of creation. We’re going to look at just a little part of this; the cosmic fine tuning, if you will, that makes all of life possible. It’s neat stuff.
COSMIC FINE TUNING
We’ll start by talking about the existence and fine-tuning of the universal constants. These constants need to be precisely what they are in order to have life exist here or anywhere in the entire cosmos. The degree of inter-related precision is almost unimaginable and flies in the face of all statistical probability. But first we should consider, that according to the laws of relativity and cosmology, nothing at all should even exist. When matter is formed from energy in particle form, anti-matter is formed along with it – particle for particle. Though in their nature they are essentially the same, when they collide they annihilate each other. This then should have been a zero sum game. No matter should have survived. Sooo….there should be nothing at all; no Universe, no us. But for a reason still mysterious, one particle of matter in 10 billion survives when its anti-matter partner is destroyed. From this came all matter, all life. As Gerald Schroeder describes it in the Science of God, the formation of surviving matter “…took place in the first one hundred thousandth of a second following the big bang. We, or at least the building blocks from which we would be formed fifteen billion years later, were written into the universe at its earliest moments.”[i]
[NOTE: I’m sure you noticed, Dr Schroeder is operating under the assumption that the Universe is billions of years old. In discussing these matters we will allow each scientist to state his case in the terms that he believes apply. Their position on the age of the Earth neither strengthens nor weakens their case. The age of the Earth controversy is one that we’ll postpone, likely to the last session. Dr Schroeder’s position is unique in that he is both a believer in the six days of creation and a multi-billion year old universe. (It has to with the Theory of Relativity. Think how that might work.)]
Back to the Universal Constants. Their precise relationship is necessary for life to exist. to be just what they are in order for life to be even possible anywhere. And the more we understand the precision that is necessary and the overlapping dependence and delicate relationship between these variables the more we see the mark of unmistakable design. Here are some examples.
THE UNIVERSAL CONSTANTS
- THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE – The electromagnetic force is 10 to the 38th power stronger than the force of gravity. For one thing this regulates the rate at which stars burn. If the ratio were just a little larger it would result in massive stars burning too fast and unevenly to support life. If smaller it would render the formation of heavy elements impossible. But just the variation of the gravitational force constant alone would effect either the life chemistry or the formation of certain essential elements.
- THE STRONG NUCLEAR FORCE – Then there is the strong nuclear force constant. If it were just a little larger it would mean no hydrogen would form and no life chemistry would be possible. If it were smaller then only hydrogen would form and again the chemistry of life would be absent.
- THE WEAK NUCLEAR FORCE – Another example is the weak nuclear force constant. A variance in this factor would affect the levels of helium and hydrogen. The resulting imbalance again would affect the ability to produce heavy elements, and again be fatal to the processes of life chemistry.
- ELECTRON TO PROTON MASS RATIO – Changes in the ratio of electron to proton mass critically influences chemical bonding.
- EXPANSION RATE OF THE UNIVERSE – And there is the expansion rate of the universe. A more rapidly expanding cosmos would mean that galaxies would not have the chance to form. With slower expansion we would see, (or actually we wouldn’t see), the universe collapse before the formation of stars.
The list goes on. Other factors critical to the ability to form life include the initial uniformity of radiation, the entropy level, the average distances between stars, and galaxies, and even the number of effective dimensions in the early universe making the coexistence of gravity, quantum mechanics and relativity possible. And there is the energy present in the big bang. The precision required for the existence of life has been calculated at one part in 10 to the 120th power. Again the list goes on, but I won’t. One source catalogs no less than 34 of these constants. The point is made. Precision is necessary not only in each of the individual factors, but also in their relationships to each other. It has been calculated that the chance of even one of them being what it is, is incredibly small. Like winning the lottery. To see the unbelievable coincidence of all of these constants coming together in such a precise way as to produce life, is like winning the lottery a billion times over. The hand of the Designer is showing. It takes an incredible amount of obstinacy to deny this evidence.[ii] [iii] [iv]
Nobel laureate Arno Penzias weighs in. “Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with the very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the conditions required to permit life, and one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural’) plan.”[v] Alan Sandage adds this in a similar vein. “I find it quite improbable that such order came out of chaos. There has to be some organizing principle. God to me is a mystery but is the explanation for the miracle of existence, why there is something instead of nothing.”[vi]
PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR LIFE TO FORM
We now go to a third area of evidence for the presence of design; the initial conditions critical for the formation of life on earth. The existence of life requires a stable environment for its development. Science has found that we not only live in a remarkably stable galaxy but a remarkably precise position within that galaxy.
- Our star, the Sun, is located at the perfect distance from the center of the galaxy to maintain its’ position, allowing the conditions for life to develop. We are in an area that is more secure than possibly anywhere else in the universe, safe from the disrupting influence of other stars.
- The internal arrangement of our solar system seems to be quite unique. The very arrangement of planets within the Sun’s system seems required to ensure its stability. And to many scientists, this lay-out makes unlikely the existence of another life-capable planet within any galaxy in our universe.[vii]
- The size of the Sun. A smaller star would be incapable of supporting life.
- The earth’s proximity to the Sun is another factor. We exist in what scientists have defined as the life zone. Gravitational interaction has greatly slowed our rotational period, eliminating the extremes in temperature that would other wise destroy all life.[viii]
- Then there is Jupiter. Though its location has a profound destabilizing effect on especially the orbits of the inner planets, its existence is necessary to the stability of our system. Such a large planet has not been found so far out in any other known planetary system. Its presence protects us from comet showers that would be fatally disrupting to life on earth.
- The specific arrangement of planetary bodies within the system is also responsible for the earth’s uniquely circular orbit. Our climatic stability depends on this.
- Other factors influencing the climate are the axial tilt and the specific arrangement of the landmass. This allows for not only the progression of seasons but ensures that they are not too severe.
- Our precise atmosphere enables water to be present in all three forms, a necessary condition for life.
- The gravitational pull of the moon also slows the surface winds which otherwise would have velocities of over 500 mph.
- The Van Allen radiation belt, produced by our nickel core, protects the planet from radiation bombardment. In our solar system, only Mercury has a magnetic field but it is too small be be of protective value.
It all seems like a big set-up job. Our solar system seems uniquely designed to make possible our existence.[ix]
The study of Intelligent design has given us a rational, scientific approach to understanding the ramifications of understanding that. It shows us the patterns of design inherent in every level of nature; from sub-atomic to micro-biotic, from DNA to the arrangement of the cosmos. Reviewing the evidence, astronomer George Greenstein offers this. “As we survey all the evidence, the thought insistently arises that some supernatural agency – or, rather, Agency – must be involved. Is it possible that suddenly, without intending to, we have stumbled upon scientific proof of the existence of a Supreme Being? Was it God who stepped in and so providentially crafted the cosmos for our benefit?”[x]
The Humanist Manifesto, and the tenets of materialism may declare that matter is self existent and not created, but the clear evidence of intelligent design declares them wrong. Pure materialism is fraught with problems. Its most basic being the fact that it requires the violation of both the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Science is now in agreement with the first words of the Bible, “In the beginning…”. The Big Bang says there was a beginning. For matter to come into being without cause from the great nothing violates the law of thermodynamics.[xi] For matter to have had a beginning however requires a cause. For the organization of matter into the many interdependent highly designed patterns that characterize creation from this completely uncaused beginning violates the Second Law of Thermodynamics. It tells us we should witness a cosmos of increasing disorder. Instead we find the opposite. There exists clear evidence for the presence of an intelligent agent behind the wonderful workings of the world we know. We’ll close this lesson with the words of Frank Tipler, Professor of Mathematical Physics who went from God-denier to committed Christian during his ‘Truth Journey’. “When I began my career as a cosmologist some twenty years ago, I was a convinced atheist. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day I would be writing a book purporting to show that the central claims of Judeo-Christian theology are in fact true, that these claims are straightforward deductions of the laws of physics as we now understand them. I have been forced into these conclusions by the inexorable logic of my own special branch of physics.”[xii] It’s the science that is moving astronomers and cosmologists toward acceptance of the truth claims of Scripture. God is a God of order and design. As the psalmist noted: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.” (Psalm 19:1-2) (NLT)
SUMMING UP….SO FAR….
A Universe with a beginning builds the argument for an Intelligent Source outside of time and space that somehow caused time and space and energy to come into being. There is the little matter of the fine tuning of the cosmic constants. Whatever begins to exist must have a cause. That cause must be:
- Transcendant – Apart from creation
- Immaterial (Spirit) – In existence before the physical cosmos
- Timeless – Before time
- Powerful – Produces an immense creative event
- Sentient – Capable of precise design
- Personal – Had the desire to create
- Caring – Built a habitat in which we can live
Starting to sound like anyone you know?
Here is Nobel Prize winner Arno Penzias. “Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with the very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the conditions required to permit life, and one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural’) plan.”[xiii]
[i] Gerald Scrhroeder, The Science of God, The Free Press, 1997, pgs 179-182
[ii]The Universe: Evidence for Its Fine Tuning,
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/designun.html, May 17, 2011
[iii] Gerald Scrhroeder, The Science of God, The Free Press, 1997
[iv] Gerald Scrhroeder, The Science of God, The Free Press, 1997, pg 5
[v] H Margenau, & RA Varghese, Cosmos, Bios, and Theos. Open Court, 1992 pg 83
[vi] JN Willford, Sizing up the Cosmos: An Astronomers Quest. New York Times,
March 12, 1991
[vii] Violence in the Cosmos, www.godandscience.org/love/sld024.html, updated
March 31, 2008
[viii] God Proclaims His Love: Design of our Solar System,
Godandscience.org/apologetics/designhtml,
[ix] The Incredible Design of the Earth and Our Solar System,
www.godandscience.org/apologetics/designss.htm
[x] George Greenstein, The Symbiotic Universe, William Morrow, 1989, pg 27
[xi]A Practical Man’s Proof of God – Does God Exist?,
www.doesgodexist.org/Pamphlets/Mansproof.htm
[xii] Frank Tipler, The Physics of Immortality, Doubleday, 1994, Preface
[xiii] Margenau, H and R.A. Varghese. Cosmos, Bios, and Theos. La Salle, IL,
Open Court, 1993 pg 83
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