2018/09/21 by NEIL A. MANSON, Neil A. Manson · 3 citations
Arts and Humanities · Psychology · #Theology and Philosophy of Evil #Philosophy and Theoretical Science #Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics
paper · doi:10.1017/s0034412518000586
Abstract The fine-tuning argument for the existence of God requires that the probability that the universe is life-permitting if God exists is not nearly as low as the probability that the universe is life-permitting if God does not exist. Recently, some proponents of the fine-tuning argument have reasoned as follows. ‘Stipulate that the probability that there exists a life-permitting universe if God exists is one in a billion. Only the most hardened sceptic would refuse odds like that, right? So one in a billion is more than just fair to those sceptical of the fine-tuning argument. It is generous. Even on that generous assumption, the fine-tuning argument is very strong.’ This article explains why the assumption is not, in fact, generous.