The Anthropic Principle: Earth is perfectly in the habitable zone, proving design
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Claim:
Earth orbits in a narrow band called the "habitable zone," or "Goldilocks zone." The simple version is that liquid water can only exist in a narrow band from the Sun. Not too hot, not too cold, but the fact that the sun is just perfectly distant, that the composition of the Earth is perfect for life. That we are here able to discuss it despite ridiculously small odds proves intelligent design.
Source:
- CreationWiki: Anthropic Principle[1]
Response:
- Essentially, the claimant is begging the question by saying, "that there is a tiny habitable zone for life in the Solar System is proof that there is intelligent design. Why? Because there is a tiny habitable zone for life in the Solar System."
- We now know that there are likely millions of planets in the universe - hundreds have already been found. [2] Many of these will be in a habitable zone. Presumably, life can only arise on such a planet, so anyone asking questions about design will find themselves on such a planet.
- There are five undiscovered planets. Aarth, Barth, Carth, Darth, and Farth. All five are exactly the same as Earth, except for one factor. Aarth is too close to its sun and the water has boiled off. Barth is too far and all the water is ice. Carth is orbiting a pulsar, and the radiation kills anything living. Darth's sun has gone to a Red Giant phase. Farth, on the other hand, is even MORE habitable than Earth, and has had intelligent life for over a billion years. None of these random factors prove intelligence behind the planets' locations. If any one of the first four planets were in the habitable zone, there could be intelligent life there discussing this very topic right now.
- It is a necessary improbability to even discuss it. The odds of winning the Uber-Mega-Lottery are extraordinarily small, but the family holding the 8-foot wide check is real. The anthropic principle would require a supernatural cause to explain the lottery win.
- In WWII, bombers had a certain probability of making it home. The chances of flying 20 successful missions is very, very low. Of over 7,000 Lancaster bombers, only 35 flew more than 100 missions. Using the anthropic principle, what do we do to the crews after their 21'st mission? Declare them dead from a statistical point of view? After the 100th mission, must we deify the plane to explain away the statistical improbability?
- This argument is 3 fallacies in one. It starts off with the tautological statement of "If things were different, things would be different," then presents the false dichotomy of life either existing in its present form or it not existing at all, and finally, it utilizes an argument from personal incredulity, namely that small odds indicate design.
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