Some of you may have heard the term "multiverse" thrown around before. Basically, this is a theory which tries to explain how our universe came into existence. Many see it as something that can explain the existence of the universe instead of God.
Because I am interested in topics related to the teleological argument for God's existence, such as fine-tuning, Intelligent Design, the multiverse, and related topics, I want to start learning more about the multiverse theory and its theological implications. While some would think it a defeater for the existence of God, I would like to present three reasons why the existence of God is not threatened by the multiverse:
1. Even though the multiverse would permit the existence of our universe, the fact that it is fine-tuned in such a fashion that human life could exist in it is incredibly improbable. It's like hitting a bull's-eye from many miles away. Roger Penrose said it was more likely that the solar system would be formed from random particle collisions, than to have the universe appear as it had. It's so unlikely that chance fails to act as a suitable explanation.
2. The Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem states that any universe which is, on average, expanding must have a starting point. If the multiverse is such a form of space then it too must have a point in which it began to exist. If that's the case, then we can ask, "What caused the multiverse to begin to exist?" The Kalam cosmological argument can be applied here, pointing to the existence of a creator.
3. The multiverse tries to explain away fine-tuning, but in fact demonstrates fine-tuning itself! In "The Case for a Creator" by Lee Strobel, Robin Collins points out the multiverse itself needs to be set up in a precise way to form universes, including our own. Put in terms a non-scientist could understand, it would need a source of unlimited energy, some mechanism for creating universe "bubbles", something to convert the energy into matter and energy seen in each universe, and something that would vary the variables and constants in each universe to make them different.
These are three reasons that I have read from philosophers and scientists like William Lane Craig and Robin Collins. I have a lot more to learn. The idea of a multiverse is fascinating, but whether or not it exists doesn't shake my faith, because it doesn't totally negate the existence of God.
Because I am interested in topics related to the teleological argument for God's existence, such as fine-tuning, Intelligent Design, the multiverse, and related topics, I want to start learning more about the multiverse theory and its theological implications. While some would think it a defeater for the existence of God, I would like to present three reasons why the existence of God is not threatened by the multiverse:
1. Even though the multiverse would permit the existence of our universe, the fact that it is fine-tuned in such a fashion that human life could exist in it is incredibly improbable. It's like hitting a bull's-eye from many miles away. Roger Penrose said it was more likely that the solar system would be formed from random particle collisions, than to have the universe appear as it had. It's so unlikely that chance fails to act as a suitable explanation.
2. The Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem states that any universe which is, on average, expanding must have a starting point. If the multiverse is such a form of space then it too must have a point in which it began to exist. If that's the case, then we can ask, "What caused the multiverse to begin to exist?" The Kalam cosmological argument can be applied here, pointing to the existence of a creator.
3. The multiverse tries to explain away fine-tuning, but in fact demonstrates fine-tuning itself! In "The Case for a Creator" by Lee Strobel, Robin Collins points out the multiverse itself needs to be set up in a precise way to form universes, including our own. Put in terms a non-scientist could understand, it would need a source of unlimited energy, some mechanism for creating universe "bubbles", something to convert the energy into matter and energy seen in each universe, and something that would vary the variables and constants in each universe to make them different.
These are three reasons that I have read from philosophers and scientists like William Lane Craig and Robin Collins. I have a lot more to learn. The idea of a multiverse is fascinating, but whether or not it exists doesn't shake my faith, because it doesn't totally negate the existence of God.