I Am Fascinated By Science, Religion, and Philosophy

A thought experiment about the universe:

If we start with the assumption that our current laws of chemistry and physics came into existence in the first few moments of expansion following the big bang, is it fair to say that a change in the original conditions would have created a different set of laws or, were our current laws of chemistry and physics necessary for the initial formation of our universe?

An additional question following from this: If there was a change in those laws, would intelligent life arise in some form, [i]ie.[/i] is intelligent life a guaranteed outcome?

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Abstraction · 61-69, M

What we have is the result of the Higgs field and a whole range of other variables being in a particular state. Current Physics theory suggests the Higgs field should be either fully on (which would mean no matter, no existence as we know it) or fully off (no matter or existence as we know it). It's like a light switch that's almost off. But in its current state, energy formed patterns that we call matter. All the properties of hydrogen, etc... from that one element.

And that's just one variable. (eg, The early supernovas had to collide, etc, to form the higher elements like iron necessary for life on earth...)

This set of variables suggests that life as WE know it was highly unlikely (partly giving rise to multi-verse theory to explain the odds.)

Given the most complex structure known in the universe is the human brain, and we become conscious of the universe...

I think my answer is (unless there is some kind of god beyond it all), what we are left with is lots of possibilities that life [u]could [/u]exist in other forms, but there is no [u]guarantee [/u] that other forms of universe or anything in them would result in either life or intelligence.

Bushranger · 70-79, M

@Abstraction That's a good description of our current universe. Is it possible, however, that it is only one possibility that could have arisen from the singularity.

Abstraction · 61-69, M

@Bushranger It's very possible there are others. It's oddly also possible that it's the only one. That would be odd, indeed.