I think whether SSA suggests life is more likely to arise in other planets depends on the reference class chosen. For example, if the reference class is all observers from the multiverse, then I am more likely to be in a populous universe. I.e. we should expect life to be more common than observed evidence suggests.
According to PBA, analyzing the fundamental parameters of the universe basing on their compatibility to support life is an egocentric act. We pay attention to life because that is what we are. This reasoning is perspective dependent. If you ask a perspective based question such as “why is everything compatible with my existence?” then you must accept a perspective based answer: “Because you can only find yourself exist.” The weak anthropic principle (WAP) essentially.
On the other hand, if we want a scientific explanation of the fundamental parameters, we must reason objectively/impartially. That means giving up the self-attention rooted in our first-person perspective. We must accept life is not inherently logically significant to the universe, also recognize WAP is not a scientific explanation of the fundamental parameters.
The fine-tuning argument is false because it askes the perspective-based question “why is everything compatible with my existence?” then demands an impartial/objective answer. Effectively assuming we are logically significant to the universe. That is why it always ends up with teleological conclusions (the universe is designed to support life etc).
Would you agree that, given that the multiverse exists (verified by independent evidence), the WAP is sufficient to explain the fundamental parameters?
First of all, I am pessimistic about finding evidence of the multiverse. That being said, If we take the multiverse as given the WAP is still not the complete picture. Because there are two separate questions here. And the WAP answers only one of them. Let me show this with an example.
Say the subject is my parents’ marriage. There are two ways to think about it. One way is I take my first-person view and ask a perspective dependent question “why (do I find) they married each other?” Here a WAP type answer is all that’s needed. Because if they didn’t I wouldn’t exist. However, if the question is formulated impartially/objectively (e.g. from a god’s eye view): “why did they marry each other?”. Then it calls for an impartial answer, maybe a causal model. The WAP doesn’t apply here. The key is to keep reasoning from different perspectives separate. Back to the fundamental parameters. The WAP explains why we find the parameters compatible with our existence. Yet that is not the scientific (impartial) explanation for their values. (If the multiverse is confirmed then the scientific answer could be it’s just random). If we do not recognize the importance of perspective to reasoning, we would mix the above two questions and treat it as one problem. By doing so teleological conclusions can always be made. Instead of the fine-tuned universe, they would just argue for a fine-tuned multiverse. Which has already been done by intelligent design proponents IIRC.
I think whether SSA suggests life is more likely to arise in other planets depends on the reference class chosen. For example, if the reference class is all observers from the multiverse, then I am more likely to be in a populous universe. I.e. we should expect life to be more common than observed evidence suggests.
According to PBA, analyzing the fundamental parameters of the universe basing on their compatibility to support life is an egocentric act. We pay attention to life because that is what we are. This reasoning is perspective dependent. If you ask a perspective based question such as “why is everything compatible with my existence?” then you must accept a perspective based answer: “Because you can only find yourself exist.” The weak anthropic principle (WAP) essentially.
On the other hand, if we want a scientific explanation of the fundamental parameters, we must reason objectively/impartially. That means giving up the self-attention rooted in our first-person perspective. We must accept life is not inherently logically significant to the universe, also recognize WAP is not a scientific explanation of the fundamental parameters.
The fine-tuning argument is false because it askes the perspective-based question “why is everything compatible with my existence?” then demands an impartial/objective answer. Effectively assuming we are logically significant to the universe. That is why it always ends up with teleological conclusions (the universe is designed to support life etc).
My complete argument, including a rebuttal to Leslie’s firing squad can be found here: https://www.sleepingbeautyproblem.com/about-fine-tuned-universe/
Would you agree that, given that the multiverse exists (verified by independent evidence), the WAP is sufficient to explain the fundamental parameters?
First of all, I am pessimistic about finding evidence of the multiverse. That being said, If we take the multiverse as given the WAP is still not the complete picture. Because there are two separate questions here. And the WAP answers only one of them. Let me show this with an example.
Say the subject is my parents’ marriage. There are two ways to think about it. One way is I take my first-person view and ask a perspective dependent question “why (do I find) they married each other?” Here a WAP type answer is all that’s needed. Because if they didn’t I wouldn’t exist. However, if the question is formulated impartially/objectively (e.g. from a god’s eye view): “why did they marry each other?”. Then it calls for an impartial answer, maybe a causal model. The WAP doesn’t apply here. The key is to keep reasoning from different perspectives separate. Back to the fundamental parameters. The WAP explains why we find the parameters compatible with our existence. Yet that is not the scientific (impartial) explanation for their values. (If the multiverse is confirmed then the scientific answer could be it’s just random). If we do not recognize the importance of perspective to reasoning, we would mix the above two questions and treat it as one problem. By doing so teleological conclusions can always be made. Instead of the fine-tuned universe, they would just argue for a fine-tuned multiverse. Which has already been done by intelligent design proponents IIRC.
Thanks, that cleared up a lot.