Books — hermiene.net

"I have honestly endeavored not to laugh at the actions of men, nor to bemoan them, nor to abhor them, but to understand them."

Back to Books

The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning: Why the Universe Is Not Designed for Us

Authors:
Victor J. Stenger (author) and Nicole Sommer-Lecht (covers)
Language:
English
Original language:
English
Publisher:
Prometheus Books
Categories:
Physics and science
Publication year:
2011
ISBN:
978-1-61614-443-2
Pages:
345
Has read?
No
Debut?
No
Images:
Back flap of The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning.Back of The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning.Spine of The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning.Front of The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning.Front flap of The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning.
Table of Contents:
[Toggle visibility]
  • Acknowledgments
  • Preface

1. Science and God

  • 1.1. NOMA
  • 1.2. Natural Theology
  • 1.3. Darwinism
  • 1.4. Intelligent Design

2. The Anthropic Principles

  • 2.1. Fine-Tuning
  • 2.2. History
  • 2.3. Hoyle's Prediction
  • 2.4. The Anthropic Principles
  • 2.5. Fine-Tuning Today

3. The Four Dimensions

  • 3.1. Models
  • 3.2. Observations
  • 3.3. Space, Time, and Reality
  • 3.4. Parameters
  • 3.5. Definitions
  • 3.6. Trivial and Arbitrary Parameters
  • 3.7. Space-Time and Four-Momentum
  • 3.8. Criteria for Fine-Tuning
  • 3.9. Geological and Biological Parameters

4. Point-of-View Invariance

  • 4.1. The Conservation Principles
  • 4.2. Lorentz Invariance
  • 4.3. Classical Mechanics
  • 4.4. General Relativity and Gravity
  • 4.5. Quantum Mechanics
  • 4.6. Gauge Theory
  • 4.7. The Standard Model
  • 4.8. Atoms and the Void

5. Cosmos

  • 5.1. Some Basic Cosmology
  • 5.2. A Semi-Newtonian Model
  • 5.3. Inflation, Past and Present
  • 5.4. Phase Space
  • 5.5. Entropy

6. The Eternal Universe

  • 6.1. Did the Universe Begin?
  • 6.2. The Missing Singularity
  • 6.3. Quantum Tunneling
  • 6.4. Imaginary Time
  • 6.5. A Scenario for a Natural Origin of the Universe
  • 6.6. The Biverse

7. Gravity is Fiction

  • 7.1. Gravity and Electromagnetism
  • 7.2. Not Universal
  • 7.3. Why Are Masses So Small?
  • 7.4. How to Get Mass
  • 7.5. Another Way to Get Mass

8. Chemistry

  • 8.1. The Hydrogen Atom
  • 8.2. The Quantum Theory of Atoms
  • 8.3. The Many-Electron Atom
  • 8.4. The Scaling of the Schrödinger Equation
  • 8.5. Range of Allowed Parameters

9. The Hoyle Resonance

  • 9.1. Manufacturing Heavier Elements in Stars
  • 9.2. The Hoyle Prediction

10. Physics Parameters

  • 10.1. Are the Relative Masses of Particles Fine-Tuned?
  • 10.2. Mass of Electron
  • 10.3. Masses of Neutrinos
  • 10.4. Strength of Weak Nuclear Force
  • 10.5. Strength of the Strong Interaction
  • 10.6. The Relative Strength of the Forces
  • 10.7. Proton Decay
  • 10.8. Baryogenesis

11. Cosmic Parameters

  • 11.1. Mass Density of the Universe
  • 11.2. Deuterium
  • 11.3. The Expansion Rate of the Universe
  • 11.4. Protons and Electrons in the Universe
  • 11.5. Big Bang Ripples
  • 11.6. Parameters of the Concordance Model
  • 11.7. The Cold Big Bang

12. The Cosmological Constant

  • 12.1. Vacuum Energy
  • 12.2. Holographic Cosmology
  • 12.3. Ghost Particles
  • 12.4. Is the Cosmological Constant Zero by Definition?
  • 12.5. Acceleration with Zero Cosmological Constant
  • 12.6. The Multiverse and the Principle of Mediocrity

13. Monkeygod

  • 13.1. Principles and Parameters
  • 13.2. Simulating Universes

14. Probability

  • 14.1. Probability Arguments
  • 14.2. Bayesian Arguments
  • 14.3. Another Bayesian Argument

15. Quantum and Consciousness

  • 15.1. The New Spirituality
  • 15.2. Making Your Own Reality
  • 15.3. Waves and Particles
  • 15.4. Human Inventions
  • 15.5. A Single Reality
  • 15.6. The Statistical Interpretation
  • 15.7. Deriving the Uncertainty Principle

16. Summary and Review

  • 16.1. The Parameters
  • 16.2. Probability Arguments
  • 16.3. Status of the Strong Anthropic Principle
  • 16.4. A Final Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Index
  • About the Author
  • Other Books by Victor J. Stenger

Back to Books