Honors Thesis Outline

Hi everyone!
I've been making a lot of progress on my Honors Thesis. Here is the road map that I will use to press forward. If you have any suggestions for additional resources I should tackle in my Literature Review, let me know!

Honors Thesis Outline

A Biologist’s Perspective on the Fine-Tuning Argument

· Introduction

o   Topic and Purpose of Thesis

§  Topic: The fine-tuning of physical parameters in phase space

§  Purpose: To examine the fine-tuning of four parameters

·         The Speed of Light

·         Planck’s Constant

·         The Gravitational Constant

·         The Cosmological Constant

o   Literature Review: History of Fine-Tuning

§  Explain major contributions up to this point

·         Lawrence Henderson – The Fitness of the Environment

o   1913

·         Robert Dicke, 1961

·         Fred Hoyle – Intelligent Universe

o   1984

·         John Gribbin and Martin Rees – Cosmic Coincidences

o   1989

·         William Lane Craig

·         Stephen Hawking – The Grand Design

o   2010

·         Victor Stenger – The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning

o   2011

· Background- provide reader with necessary information to understand parameters

o   Biology

§  Define Life

§  Outline requirements for life

§  Planet, Solar System, and Universe level parameters

o   Parameters in phase space

§  Dimensionless numbers

o   Physics

§  Light

·         Relativity

§  Planck’s Constant

§  Gravity

§  Cosmology

·         Cosmic Inflation

§  Multiverse Theory

·         String Theory

· Main Argument

o   Phrase argument utilizing sharpness of peaks and half-height widths for parameters

§  The slope, or sharpness, of peaks corresponds to how finely-tuned a parameter must be.

·         Examples

o   As the Gravitational constant is made larger or smaller, the universe rapidly becomes unsuitable for life.

§  The Gravitational Constant has a sharp peak.

o   As the speed of light is made larger or smaller, the universe slowly becomes unsuitable for life.

§  The speed of light has a curved peak.

o   Address objections

§  Additional peaks may exist for individual parameters

·         These hypothetical peaks should be disregarded because of their speculative nature.

§  Changing multiple parameters at once may introduce additional possibilities

·          Once again, it is better to hold all but one parameter constant and measure the steepness of individual peaks that speculate as to how life would be affected by combinations of changes.

· Response to Stenger

o   Examine Stenger’s reasoning concerning the speed of light.

§  Holding all else constant, the speed of light can be fine-tuned

·         Utilize the height of a door analogy

·         Address complications introduced by relativity.

·         Address complications introduced by the granular nature of the universe.

o   Stenge

o   Stenger’s reasoning concerning the speed of light is the same for the speed of light as it is for Planck’s Constant and the Gravitational Constant.

o   Because the speed of light displays fine-tuning, Planck’s Constant and the Gravitational Constant also display fine-tuning.

o   Establish the Cosmological Constant as a parameter which is fine-tuned.

§  Stenger admits that the Cosmological Constant is ‘up for discussion.’

· Address Additional Objections to Fine-Tuning

o   Multiverse

§  General explanation of Multiverse theory

·         Not enough evidence to support Multiverse Theory at this point

§  If Multiverse Theory were supported, additional characteristics of the Multiverse would need to be established before it would affect the fine-tuning argument.

·         The number of universes would need to be high enough to make the odds possible

·         Parameters would need to differ from universe to universe

§  If the existence and certain characteristics of the multiverse can be established, the fine-tuning argument will become invalid (unless a secondary fine-tuning argument applies to the formation of the multiverse).

o   Life Could Evolve Differently

§  Evolution will have a significant effect on planet and solar system parameters (for example, the speed of light), but will have no bearing on universe level parameters (Gravity, Planck’s Constant, and the Cosmological Constant).

§  Evolution will drive life towards peaks, thereby generating steep slopes.

·         Does not apply to universe level parameters.

· Conclusions

o   Certain parameters display fine-tuning.

§  The Speed of Light – curved peak

§  Planck’s Constant – sharp peak

§  The Gravitational Constant – sharp peak

§  The Cosmological Constant – sharp peak

o   The three ‘sharp-peaked’ parameters are sufficient to demonstrate that the universe is not fine-tuned for life due to chance.