What, Why & How do we Know ?
Picture this: The left hand end represents what can be “seen” directly from earth, relatively local and recent in red-shift terms. Look out any window. Out into space, backwards in time. CMBR, (Cosmic Microwave “Background” Radiation) at the right end, represents the iconic echoes of the original big-bang in microwave-visible structures. So iconic, the little … Continue reading “More Anthropic Physics?”
Thanks to Piers Young at Monkey Magic for the link to this article from Discover. A good summary of issues based on interviews by Tim Folger with working scientists in the field, many of whom I’ve quoted before on psybertron. Strange how the multiverse idea is still seen as the most convincing solution to the … Continue reading “Anthropics, Multiverses & Strings”
Review of Paul Davies “Cosmic Jackpot” at The Daily Kos. (via Marsha on MoQ-Discuss)
Interview and review in New Scientist with Leonard Susskind, author of “Cosmic Landscape – string theory and the illusion of intelligent design”. Linking string theory, the cosmological constant, the anthropic principle, the multiverse, and the plausibility for an intelligent design creationist conclusion to explain the conditions that support intelligent life. [via Jorn]
I must have passed over the Anthropic Principle quite some time ago, because it leaves me unmoved. The reason to mention it is the debate about physical fundamentals of the universe and the recurring intelligent design debate, where I have also gone beyond debate to peremtory dismissal. I got a combative comment on my report … Continue reading “Anthropic Principle – Why the Fuss ?”
Preamble: I was left with a pretty negative view of Larry Krauss after his collaborations with Richard Dawkins – “The Unbelievers” (2013) and Dawkins breathless afterword to Krauss “A Universe From Nothing – Why is there something rather than nothing?” (2012) In that recommendation – oft repeated in public sessions since – Dawkins concluded “The … Continue reading “Krauss Revisited – still haunted by Copernicus?”
Just a post to capture a couple of unconnected links: (1) Sue Blackmore and Deepak Chopra revisiting their decade old “Battle of the Worldviews” disagreement at Tucson 2022 “Science of Consciousness” conference. Only managed to listen to half of it – not enough actual dialogue and Stuart Hameroff’s chairing doesn’t really help … but some … Continue reading “Consciousness and Free Energy”
Recent reads of Carlo Rovelli and Sean Carroll have been ultimately disappointing, but don’t get me wrong … Helgoland (2021) – by Carlo Rovelli Staggering Implications – Rovelli Without Whitehead (AJOwens Nov 2021) Mach, Bogdanov, Nagarjuna and Rovelli (May 2021) Classifying an Unread Book (May 2021) and, The Big Picture (2015) – by Sean Carroll … Continue reading “Deutsch over Rovelli and Carroll”