How is the Universe Balanced on a Knife-Edge? 1-Minute Case for the Fine-Tuning Argument

3 min readJul 4, 2024

Does chance flip a coin or reflect the odds when a coin has been flipped?

How is the Entire Universe Balanced on a Knife-edge? The Fine-Tuning Argument

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Does chance flip a coin or reflect the odds when a coin has been flipped? Changing the expansion rate of the universe, the gravitational force, the polarity of water, the initial distribution of mass energy in the universe, or the mass ratio of protons to electrons would have disastrous consequences for life in the universe.

If the cosmological constant, that controls the universe’s expansion speed, were slightly more positive or negative by 1 part in 10120, the universe would fly apart or collapse respectively. Lists of finely tuned parameters range from 22 to up to 140 parameters that if altered slightly would prevent life in the universe from being possible.

It is no surprise that physicist Paul Davies concludes “life on Earth is balanced on a knife-edge” or that Stephen Hawking claims “these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted.” Astronomer Sir Hoyle similarly purports “a superintellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology.”

Is this all by chance? Is there a “multiverse generator” that generates an unlimited number of sufficiently different universes so that one universe will eventually permit life? Even such a generator would need to be finely tuned to ensure sufficient variation and determine the types of parameters!

The existence of a multiverse cannot be detected, measured, observed, or proved. Critics contend it lacks testability and falsifiability. Suggesting an infinite number of universes just to explain our own goes against Occam’s Razor where the best explanation normally makes the fewest assumptions. Assuming the multiverse is like a metaphysical assumption!

If all is by chance, then so are your thought processes. In which case, can you trust them? Based on the above points, it seems reasonable to conclude there is intent and purpose behind the universe permitting life. The universe permits life by design!