The Fine Tuning of the Universe

Strong arguments can be advanced for the existence of an Intelligent Creator. Observations about the universe and the natural world can lead to some basic conclusions about the qualities of power and intelligence attributable to such a being. Ironically, some members of the scientific community seem to have concluded that God's imprint can be seen in the universe. The most powerful arguments here come from the fact that the universe is so finely tuned—designed to such exacting specifications—that the idea of its coming into existence by chance seems extremely unlikely.

Several prominent physicists have admitted that many features of the universe seem to be closely coordinated to exceedingly fine tolerances, which allow life on earth to flourish. The following quotes are illustrative of conclusions held by many physicists active in the field.

Fred Hoyle (British astrophysicist) stated:

"A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a superintellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature. The numbers one calculates from the facts seem to me so overwhelming as to put this conclusion almost beyond question."

(Cited from Hoyle, F. 1982. "The Universe: Past and Present Reflections". Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics: 20:16.)

Paul Davies (British astrophysicist) concluded:

"There is for me powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all....It seems as though somebody has fine-tuned nature's numbers to make the Universe....The impression of design is overwhelming."

(Cited from Davies, P. 1988. The Cosmic Blueprint: New Discoveries in Nature's Creative Ability To Order the Universe. New York: Simon and Schuster, p.203.

Vera Kistiakowsky (MIT physicist) concurs:

"The exquisite order displayed by our scientific understanding of the physical world calls for the divine."

(Cited from Margenau, H and R.A. Varghese, ed. 1992. Cosmos, Bios, and Theos. La Salle, IL, Open Court, p. 52.)

Then there is what the Physicist John Polkinghorn refers to as the "deep intelligibility of the universe":

"The universe has proved to be astonishingly rationally transparent and the human mind remarkably apt to the comprehension of its structure. . . . Our understanding of the working of the world greatly exceeds anything that could simply be required for human survival. . . . It seems to me that purely naturalistic thinking is unable to cast light on this deep intelligibility, for ultimately it has to treat it as a fortunate but fortuitous fact."

Cited from John Polkinghorn, Science and the Trinity, (Yale University Press: New Haven 2004)

Back to Articles Page