The Universe & God: Science As Evidence
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”—Genesis 1:1
In our article about the expansion of the universe, we showed how some basic scientific facts about the universe point to the existence of God. This article examines even more scientific concepts about the universe and we will see how they relate to the Creator.
Existence of Elements Essential for Life
When two helium nuclei collide, they fuse together and produce the fleeting, unstable beryllium. An additional collision with a single helium nucleus, and carbon is created. Without these very unlikely “lucky accidents” constantly occurring carbon would not exist, and neither would we.
“For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. ‘I am the LORD,’ he says, ‘and there is no other.'” (Isaiah 45:18 NLT)
The Fine-tuned Universe
A proton is 1,836 times heavier than an electron. If this difference was any greater or lesser, it would not be possible for life to exist in the universe.
“The laws of science, as we know them at present, contain many fundamental numbers, like the size of the electric charge of the electron and the ratio of the masses of the proton and the electron. … The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life.” – Stephen Hawking
In 1961, physicist Robert H. Dicke said that certain forces in physics, such as gravity and electromagnetism, must be perfectly fine-tuned for life to exist anywhere in the Universe. Fred Hoyle also argued for a fine-tuned Universe in his 1984 book “Intelligent Universe.” He compares “the chance of obtaining even a single functioning protein by chance combination of amino acids to a star system full of blind men solving Rubik’s Cube simultaneously.”
“In you is the source of life, by your light we see the light.” (Psalm 36:9 NJB) The Bible refers to Almighty God as “the source of life.”
Fine-tuning of the Force Strengths to Permit Life
The constants governing the four fundamental forces of physics are finely-tuned to support life.
- Strong nuclear force is important for the existence of stable atoms beyond hydrogen. If the strong force were 50% weaker, no elements used by life would exist because protons couldn’t be held together in the nucleus.
- Electromagnetic force is responsible for chemistry and plays a critical role in stellar fusion which powers life. The electromagnetic force needs to be much weaker than the strong nuclear force for atoms to be stable – so that the radius of the electron orbit is much larger than the radius of the nucleus.
- Weak nuclear force controls proton-proton fusion, a reaction 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 times slower than the nuclear reaction based on the strong nuclear force. Without this, essentially all the matter in the universe would have been burned to helium before the first galaxies were formed. Because the weak nuclear force is so much weaker than the strong nuclear force, a star can burn its hydrogen gently for billions of years instead of blowing up like a bomb.
- Gravitational force: the strength of gravity is about 40 orders of magnitude weaker than the strong nuclear force. Based on this expectation that gravity can vary up to strong nuclear force strength, the level of fine-tuning required for life is pretty remarkable:
- If gravity is weaker by 1 in 10 raised to the 36th power, stars are unstable to degeneracy pressure (for small stars) or unstable to radiative pressure just expelling huge chunks of the star (for larger stars).
- If gravity is stronger by 1 in 10 raised to the 40th power, the universe is dominated by black holes not stars.
- If gravity is weaker by 1 in 10 raised to the 30th power, the largest planet that would avoid crushing effects of gravity on any large-brained creatures would have a radius of about 50 meters – which is not a good candidate for an ecosystem and the development/sustenance of intelligent life.
These are huge numbers that may be hard for most readers to visualize. Thus, consider the following analogy to help understand the improbability of 1 part in 10 raised to the 36th power. Suppose one could make a sand pile encompassing all of Europe and Asia and up to 5 times the height of the moon. Suppose one grain of sand is painted red and randomly placed somewhere within this pile. A blind-folded person then randomly selects one grain of sand from the pile. The odds that he would select that one red grain of sand are slightly better than the 1 part in 10 raised to the 36th power odds of a life-permitting strength of the gravitational force based on just one of the above criteria.
Protein Formation – By Random Events?
The fact that a single protein could result from random events appears to science author, Bill Bryson, a “stunning improbability” and the astronomer, Fred Hoyle, estimates is as being just as likely as a whirlwind spinning thought a scrap yard and leaving behind a fully assembled jumbo jet.
How did the universe start so highly ordered?
The highly ordered initial state of the universe could not have come by chance. According to the calculation of Steve Hawking’s associate, Roger Penrose, the highly ordered (low entropy) initial state of the universe is not something that could have occurred by even the wildest chance.
The only reasonable explanation is that the universe has a Creator (Genesis 1:1).
Balance Between Universe’s Expansion/Collapse
As Stephen Hawking one said, this has “religious overtones and implications.” Why? Because, as he said, the universe is confirmed to be “expanding at the critical rate.” That is, to continue expanding at an ever increasing rate, but exactly the precise rate to go on expanding forever. There is no way this could happen by accident, or without a guiding hand – in other words, a Creator.
Slight Excess of Matter Over Antimatter
After performing the most precise experiments on antiprotons that have ever been carried out, researchers at CERN discovered a symmetry in nature that they say just shouldn’t be possible.
One of the big questions about the universe is how the first matter formed after the Big Bang. Because particles and antiparticles annihilate one another when they come into contact, if there were exactly equal measures of both, the universe wouldn’t exist—at least not in the form we see it today. As such, there must be an imbalance between particles and antiparticles, even if it is only by the tiniest fraction.
Conclusion
How can all of this these very unlikely facts be true if everything was in existence due to blind chance. All of these concepts point to the fact that the universe was designed. The intricate design and the superb order in the universe distinctly testify to the existence of a Creator.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 NIV)
12 thoughts on “The Universe & God: Science As Evidence”
Ross, I am happy to provide a rebuttal to your essay.
RT1: In our recent article about the expansion of the universe, we showed how some basic scientific facts about the universe point to the existence of God. Today, we will examine even more scientific concepts about the universe and see how they relate to the Creator.
GW1: Your previous article cited some basic scientific facts which did not point to the existence of God. Those facts are equivocal in the sense that they support many hypotheses. For example, they support the eternal universe hypothesis.
Existence of Elements Essential for Life
RT1: When two helium nuclei collide, they fuse together and produce the fleeting, unstable beryllium. An additional collision with a single helium nucleus, and carbon is created.
GW1: So what?
RT1: “For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. `I am the Lord,’ he says, `and there is no other.'” (Isaiah 45:18 NLT)
GW1: Order is intrinsic and eternal. There is no good evidence that it was planned or installed.
The Fine-tuned Universe
RT1: A proton is 1,836 times heavier than an electron. If this difference was any greater or lesser, it would not be possible for life to exist in the universe.
GW1: This just means that if things had been different at the time of the Big Bang, then things would be different now. Some initial conditions would be compatible with life, and some would not. So what? That’s just the way it is.
RT1: “The laws of science, as we know them at present, contain many fundamental numbers, like the size of the electric charge of the electron and the ratio of the masses of the proton and the electron. . The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life.” – Stephen Hawking
GW1: Yes, to some people it SEEMS that these numbers were finely adjusted, but to other people it SEEMS otherwise. We don’t know that these numbers could be any different than what they are. BTW, Hawking is an atheist.
RT1: In 1961, physicist Robert H. Dicke said that certain forces in physics, such as gravity and electromagnetism, must be perfectly fine-tuned for life to exist anywhere in the Universe.
GW1: These forces must fall within a certain narrow range for life, as we know it, to exist, but of course this does not mean that the forces could be any different from what they are or that any god caused them to be what they are. Fine-tuning implies a fine tuner, and there is no good evidence for that.
RT1: Fred Hoyle also argued for a fine-tuned Universe in his 1984 book Intelligent Universe. He compares “the chance of obtaining even a single functioning protein by chance combination of amino acids to a star system full of blind men solving Rubik’s Cube simultaneously.”
GW1: Most biologists who study the origin of life think that the start was with simpler units. Chance and orderliness both played a role.
RT1: “In you is the source of life, by your light we see the light.” (Psalm 36:9 NJB)
GW1: There is no good evidence that a god is the source of life.
Fine-tuning of the Force Strengths to Permit Life
RT1: The constants governing the four fundamental forces of physics are finely-tuned to support life.
GW1: This is just speculation. There is no good evidence that these forces could have been different, or if they could have been different, there is no good evidence that any god made them the way they are.
RT1: Strong nuclear force is important for the existence of stable atoms beyond hydrogen. If the strong force were 50% weaker, no elements used by life would exist because protons couldn’t be held together in the nucleus.
GW1: A range from X to X-.5 is a pretty wide range.
RT1: Electromagnetic force is responsible for chemistry and plays a critical role in stellar fusion which powers life. The electromagnetic force needs to be much weaker than the strong nuclear force for atoms to be stable – so that the radius of the electron orbit is much larger than the radius of the nucleus.
GW1: It is what it is.
RT1: Weak nuclear force controls proton-proton fusion, a reaction 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 times slower than the nuclear reaction based on the strong nuclear force. Without this, essentially all the matter in the universe would have been burned to helium before the first galaxies were formed. Because the weak nuclear force is so much weaker than the strong nuclear force, a star can burn its hydrogen gently for billions of years instead of blowing up like a bomb.
Gravitational force: the strength of gravity is about 40 orders of magnitude weaker than the strong nuclear force. Based on this expectation that gravity can vary up to strong nuclear force strength, the level of fine-tuning required for life is pretty remarkable:
If gravity is weaker by 1 in 1036, stars are unstable to degeneracy pressure (for small stars) or unstable to radiative pressure just expelling huge chunks of the star (for larger stars).
If gravity is stronger by 1 in 1040, the universe is dominated by black holes not stars.
If gravity is weaker by 1 in 1030, the largest planet that would avoid crushing effects of gravity on any large-brained creatures would have a radius of about 50 meters – which is not a good candidate for an ecosystem and the development/sustenance of intelligent life.
These are huge numbers that may be hard for most readers to visualize. Thus, consider the following analogy to help understand the improbability of 1 part in 1036. Suppose one could make a sand pile encompassing all of Europe and Asia and up to 5 times the height of the moon. Suppose one grain of sand is painted red and randomly placed somewhere within this pile. A blind-folded person then randomly selects one grain of sand from the pile. The odds that he would select that one red grain of sand are slightly better than the 1 in 1036 odds of a life-permitting strength of the gravitational force based on just one of the above criteria.
GW1: I will assume that you correctly copied all this from a reputable source. It is all compatible with many general hypotheses.
Protein Formation – By random events?
RT1: The fact that a single protein could result from random events appears to science author, Bill Bryson, a “stunning improbability” and the astronomer, Fred Hoyle, estimates is as being just as likely as a whirlwind spinning thought a scrap yard and leaving behind a fully assembled jumbo jet.
GW1: Neither Bryson nor Hoyle is a biologist, and Hoyle made his statement probably more than 50 years ago. Both fail to recognize that the earliest precursors of life were much simpler than proteins now are and that chemical and biological evolution are cumulative processes.
How did the universe start so highly ordered?
RT1: The highly ordered initial state of the universe could not have come by chance. According to the calculation of Steve Hawking’s associate, Roger Penrose, the highly ordered (low entropy) initial state of the universe is not something that could have occurred by even the wildest chance.
GW1: It could have been by chance, but it was probably just a natural ordered state.
RT1: The only reasonable explanation is that the universe has a Creator.
GW1: No, there are several reasonable explanations, including that the universe just operates according to “natural laws.” No Creator is required.
Balance Between Universe’s Expansion/Collapse
RT1: As Stephen Hawking one said, this has “religious overtones and implications.” Why? Because, as he said, the universe is confirmed to be “expanding at the critical rate.” That is, to continue expanding at an ever increasing rate, but exactly the precise rate to go on expanding forever. There is no way this could happen by accident, or without a guiding hand – in other words, a Creator.
GW1: Hawking is an atheist. Also, if God did exist and his main purpose in creating the universe was to provide a habitat for humanity, then he would not have made a universe which would go on expanding forever. And yet, right now it does appear that the universe will go on expanding forever. Therefore, God does not exist.
Slight excess of matter over antimatter
RT1: After performing the most precise experiments on antiprotons that have ever been carried out, researchers at CERN discovered a symmetry in nature that they say just shouldn’t be possible.
GW1: The fact that it exists shows that it is possible. It is actual.
RT1: One of the big questions about the universe is how the first matter formed after the Big Bang. Because particles and antiparticles annihilate one another when they come into contact, if there were exactly equal measures of both, the universe wouldn’t exist-at least not in the form we see it today. As such, there must be an imbalance between particles and antiparticles, even if it is only by the tiniest fraction.
GW1: So what? The slight imbalance is just a brute fact of nature.
RT1: All of these concepts point to the fact that the universe was designed. The intricate design and the superb order in the universe distinctly testify to the existence of a Creator.
GW1: No, they don’t. The orderliness of the universe is probably just an intrinsic and eternal feature, with no need for a Creator.
RT1: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 NIV)
GW1: People have very good reasons to believe that God does not exist. If God did exist, he would have provided clear objective unequivocal evidence of his own existence to all human persons. This has not happened. Therefore, God does not exist. God would not play at faith games.
You admit “fine-tuning requires a fine tuner”. Then you contradict yourself by saying ‘there was no fine-tuner, God’. Responding to the overwhelming odds of all the various aspects of fine-tuning coming together, without any direction from God, you say ‘That’s just the way it is’. You cannot explain away the overwhelming odds overcome to make and maintain the universe!
Yes, I believe that the term “fine-tuning” implies a “fine tuner.” Therefore, those scientists who believe in fine-tuning are mistaken. There is no god doing any tuning. And therefore, there is no contradiction is my statements. They are all consistent.
You assume the various aspects “came together.” You don’t know this, and nobody does. They are they way they are. There is no evidence that they could be different or of a cause for them.
You cannot calculate the odds based on one universe. Calculating odds would require many universes, and we know of only one!
Unfortunately, you are not thinking rationally about this issue. For more information about this, read my book — God Wants You to be an Atheist, available through Amazon.
What is the source for this information? What equations are used? Are you just repeating nonsense that someone posted on some other website? Please provide references to a physicist who calulated this.
“If gravity is weaker by 1 in 10 raised to the 36th power, stars are unstable to degeneracy pressure (for small stars) or unstable to radiative pressure just expelling huge chunks of the star (for larger stars).
If gravity is stronger by 1 in 10 raised to the 40th power, the universe is dominated by black holes not stars.
If gravity is weaker by 1 in 10 raised to the 30th power, the largest planet that would avoid crushing effects of gravity on any large-brained creatures would have a radius of about 50 meters – which is not a good candidate for an ecosystem and the development/sustenance of intelligent life.”
Several physicists are named and quoted in the article above. Please read the article very carefully.
I read the name of at least one. However, it doesn’t matter because quotes from them either do not support your hypothesis or draw a conclusion not warranted by the data, as I have shown. See the six relevant points I made below.
The fine tuning hypothesis used for supporting the existence of God has been soundly refuted by many persons.
Also, you still are evading my proof that God does not exist.
To be fair, the author of the post, i.e. Ross Tucker, did provide one source of an alleged physicist for his quotes about the alleged fine-tuned universe. However,
1) Different physicists have come up with different calculations. See books by the late Victor Stenger.
2) If the constants were a little different just before the Big Bang, then the universe would be much different now. Duh. This is classic Chaos Theory. So what?
3) There is no good evidence that the constants could be different from what they are.
4) If the constants could be different, there is no good evidence that they were different.
5) If the constants could be different, we don’t know what mechanism could make them different.
6) There is no good evidence of a fine tuner, designer, or mover of the universe.
A purely physical application of the first Law of Thermodynamics would indicate that the universe must be eternal. However, scientists have been forced by their own discoveries to admit that the universe had a beginning. A Creator God who is outside of the universe is the only possibility (E=MC2; Isaiah 40:26; Genesis 1:1). A purely physical application of the Second Law of Thermodynamics is in direct contradiction to the first Law, because the universe would have already reached maximum entropy, and this is obviously not the case. The Theory of Evolution also contradicts this Second Law, by asserting that greater organization and complexities develop over time. Atheists, such as yourself, are thus caught in the dilemma, with no way out, of claiming the universe is eternal, and yet, this idea is proven false because the universe does not have anywhere near the maximum entropy that would be the case if it was eternal. Scientists have been forced by their own discoveries to admit that the universe started off in an extremely highly ordered state, and remains in an extremely highly ordered state today. Such complexity, organization and fine-tuning can only come from a highly intelligent, all-powerful designer. As Romans 1:20 says, “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from the things made, so that people are without excuse” (NIV), and also Hebrews 3:4 says, “Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything” (NIV). Please see the article on this site: “The Bible and Science now agree: The Universe is Old and is Expanding”.
RT: A purely physical application of the first Law of Thermodynamics would indicate that the universe must be eternal.
GW: Yes, absolutely! Based on this law alone, it is almost certain that the universe is eternal.
RT: However, scientists have been forced by their own discoveries to admit that the universe had a beginning.
GW: False. Your continued repetition of this mantra doesn’t make it true. We’ve been over this many times. That God caused the beginning of the universe out of nothing is only one of about six hypotheses, the least likely of the six. Of those hypotheses the most likely to be true is that the universe is eternal, and I have given you at least three reasons why that is the case. You even mentioned one of the three in your opening sentence in this post – see above.
RT: A Creator God who is outside of the universe is the only possibility (E=MC2; Isaiah 40:26; Genesis 1:1).
GW: False. First, you are misusing words here. The term “Creator God” is redundant since the definition of “God” already includes the premise that God created the universe. When you mean “God,” just say “God.” Also, God would not be any “creator god;” he would be unique, the one and only god. Secondly, your hypothesis is not the “only” one. As I have shown, there are at least six.
RT: A purely physical application of the Second Law of Thermodynamics is in direct contradiction to the first Law, because the universe would have already reached maximum entropy, and this is obviously not the case.
GW: False. There is no contradiction. The increase in entropy began at the Big Bang which occurred 13.8 billion years ago, and it is continuing. If this phase of the universe is eternal (probably it isn’t), then there will be no “maximum entropy.” It will just continue to increase, but probably at a lesser rate.
RT: The Theory of Evolution also contradicts this Second Law, by asserting that greater organization and complexities develop over time.
GW: False. The Earth is not a closed system and thus it is prone to life and evolution. Local and temporary increases in organization and complexity are “allowed” by the Second Law, as long as net entropy increases.
RT: Scientists have been forced by their own discoveries to admit that the universe started off in an extremely highly ordered state, and remains in an extremely highly ordered state today.
GW: Scientists have not been forced to do anything! You are misusing the word “forced.” Nobody holds a gun to their head coercing them to draw conclusions! Here, I believe you are confusing two different types of orderliness. One type is the regularity of processes in the universe. The other type is the low state of entropy before the Big Bang. The first type has been constant, but the second type has been decreasing.
RT: Such complexity, organization and fine-tuning can only come from a highly intelligent, all-powerful designer.
GW: False. Complexity and organization are just natural consequences of the inherent and eternal feature of orderliness in the universe. As usual, your pointing to one and only one possibility is irrational. Also, I have already debunked the theory of fine tuning. You are question begging.
RT: As Romans 1:20 says, “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from the things made, so that people are without excuse” (NIV).
GW: As I have proven, God does not exist. Not only have you not found an error in the proof, you have continued to evade a discussion of it. We know why.
Just as an alcoholic who is in denial about his alcoholism can’t be helped, so it is with you, due to your denial of scientific facts. The proven and known scientific facts combined with common sense: (1) of the universe’s beginning is denied by you; and (2) the universe’s continuing in an extremely highly ordered state is denied by you; and (3) laws, such as physical laws like gravity, and the extreme complexities of the universe and the living and non-living things in it, do not come about without a highly intelligent and powerful designer. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God'” (Psalm 14:1 NIV).
“Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). Faith is a reasonable step in the same direction that the evidence is pointing, following the evidence, the facts, wherever it leads, and then making a sound conclusion based on the weight of the information. On the other hand, you, as an atheist, believe (subconsciously, at least, if not consciously) that: (1) Nothing produces everything; (2); Non-life produces life; (3) Randomness produces finely tuned design; (4) Chaos produces information; (5) Unconsciousness produces consciousness; and (6) Non-reason produces reason. I don’t have have enough “faith” to believe any of those six points that you hold dear, whether you admit it or not.
RT: “Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV).
GW: Yes, that’s a pretty good definition of faith, completely consistent with the one I have presented. Faith is belief in something for which there is little or no good evidence (“what we do not see”) because of wishful thinking (“what we hope for”).
RT: Faith is a reasonable step in the same direction that the evidence is pointing, following the evidence, the facts, wherever it leads, and then making a sound conclusion based on the weight of the information.
GW: False. Faith is never reasonable. Why? Because it is belief out of proportion to or not in alignment with the current evidence. Take this example: “I have faith that Jesus came back to life.” As I have shown, the evidence points in the opposite direction – it is extremely unlikely that Jesus came back to life, and so nobody should believe that he did.
RT: On the other hand, you, as an atheist, believe (subconsciously, at least, if not consciously) that: (1) Nothing produces everything;
GW: False. I have never believed this, consciously or subconsciously. But you apparently believe that God exists and created the universe out of nothing!
RT: (2); Non-life produces life;
GW: Yes, I believe this probably happened, and there is supporting evidence.
RT: (3) Randomness produces finely tuned design;
GW: False. There is no “finely tuned design,” as I have repeatedly shown.
RT: (4) Chaos produces information;
GW: Yes, chaos and intrinsic order together can produce new information. For example, mutations can produce new patterns of genes, which is new information.
RT: (5) Unconsciousness produces consciousness;
GW: No and yes. Unconsciousness does not cause consciousness, but I believe that there were once species of organisms which were unconscious, and these species EVOLVED into new species of organisms which are conscious. For example, amoeba are not conscious, but human beings are conscious. Consciousness appears to be an emergent property of large and complex brains.
RT: and (6) Non-reason produces reason.
GW: No and yes. Non-reason does not cause reason. We human beings are thinking mammals. Some of us can and do learn the skills of reason.
RT: I don’t have have enough “faith” to believe any of those six points that you hold dear, whether you admit it or not.
GW: I hold dear and unequivocally believe only 2 of the 6. I partly believe 2. And I completely disbelieve 2.
GW: You believe God exists when it has been proven by many persons and arguments that he does not exist. So, you have faith that God exists. You believe that he does exist in the teeth of contradictory evidence.