Cosmocetacea

Today's post came to mind while I was thinking about the currently fashionable blend of the Teleological argument, that runs thus:

"If various phyiscal constants, such as the Fine Structure contant, the speed of light, or the gravitational constant were different, humans couldn't have evolved. Therefore, the Universe is specially set up for us".

Now, if I want to argue this cogently, I'd point out that you could equally conclude that the universe is set up for paramecium: they seem a lot more inevitable than us. I recommend you read the last few chapters of Bill Bryson's "Short History of nearly Everything" or Dawkin's "Unweaving the Rainbow" for a discussion on the evolution of Humans and their distinctive cognitive organs. Actually, just read those two. They're just about my favourite books.

On the other hand, sometimes it's fun to not argue cogently. Hence, here's something a bit different.

Cosmocetacea

In every direction there is gas. Here, there is no up and no down. There is no light, but the creatures that live here would no more understand that than they understand the idea of 'sight'. It's cold, and it looks desolate.

Far off in the distance, if distance means anything here, is a lumbering shape, maybe drifting, maybe swimming. Some time later, it is gone.

You can't hear it, but there is a secret excitement pulsing through the gas.

"For the first time, our scientists have managed to make precise measurements of the Universal Attractive Force, or Gravity. This infinitestimal force only shows itself on large scales, and controls the long-term evolution of the universe.

The clinching experiment took place in an evacuated chamber and measured the Universal Attraction between the super-massive element Neon, discovered last year. The force also affects familiar hydrogen and helium. It's also thought to be instrumental in the digestion process. Science has long struggled to explain how the digestive system can cause enough atomic collisions to start fusion in the body. This force supplies exactly the neccesary extra push.

The scientist heading the research has voiced his personal conviction that this discovery strengthens the claims of religion. "Every increase of knowledge reveals more brightly the handiwork of an intelligent Creator" he said earlier today. "This force has precisely the qualities neecesary for the devlopment of intelligent life. If it were weaker, fusion would be impossible. But if it were only a little stronger, the gas would all condense to a single point. Vast amounts of the universe would be uninhabitable. But there's more- at the centre, the Gravitational Pile could start fusion spontaneously and it would proceed beyond any known element, down to atoms five or ten times heavier than even Neon. The Universe would be emptiness, punctuated with fire and ash, and life would be utterly impossible. This paper strongly suggests that we live in a world set up for us by a creator."
Definietly something to think about.

Song in my head: "Absolution" by Muse