The problem of what exists

2006/02/20 by P. C. W. Davies, Davies, P. C. W.
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Computational Physics and Python Applications #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum Mechanics and Applications

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0602420

openalex publication_date 2006/02/20 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Popular multiverse models such as the one based on the string theory landscape require an underlying set of unexplained laws containing many specific features and highly restrictive prerequisites. I explore the consequences of relaxing some of these prerequisites with a view to discovering whether any of them might be justified anthropically. Examples considered include integer space dimensionality, the immutable, Platonic nature of the laws of physics and the no-go theorem for strong emergence. The problem of why some physical laws exist, but others which are seemingly possible do not, takes on a new complexion following this analysis, although it remains an unsolved problem in the absence of an additional criterion.

Citations

• Ultimate physical limits to computation
• Quantum Fields in Curved Space
• Universal upper bound on the entropy-to-energy ratio for bounded systems
• The world as a hologram

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