PhilSci Archive

Anthropic arguments outside of cosmology and string theory

Cirkovic, Milan M. (2016) Anthropic arguments outside of cosmology and string theory. [Preprint]

[img]
Preview
Text
Anthropic_MMC_v4.pdf

Download (814kB) | Preview

Abstract

Anthropic reasoning has lately been strongly associated with the string theory landscape and some theories of particle cosmology, such as cosmological inflation. The association is not, contrary to multiple statements by physicists and philosophers alike, necessary. On the contrary, there are clear reasons and instances in which the anthropic reasoning is useful in a diverse range of fields such as planetary sciences, geophysics, future studies, risk analysis, origin of life studies, evolutionary theory, astrobiology and SETI studies, ecology, or even strategic studies and global policy. The association of anthropic reasoning with string theory and particle cosmology has not only become the standard wisdom, but has been often construed in a negative way, in order to demonstrate or insinuate that such reasoning is too abstract or even belongs to “fringe science”, remote from run-of-the-mill research practices in any other more “mundane” and less theoretical scientific discipline. The purpose of this paper is to (i) analyse some of the counter-examples to the standard wisdom, (ii) suggest that the anthropic reasoning is more flexible, more general, and less fashion-driven than the detractors state. In addition, we consider some historical and/or extrascientific motivation for this persistent prejudice.


Export/Citation: EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
Social Networking:
Share |

Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Cirkovic, Milan M.mcirkovic@aob.rs0000-0002-6634-1321
Additional Information: Belgrade Philosophical Annual, Volume 30, in press.
Keywords: history and philosophy of physics – epistemology – anthropic reasoning – planetary science – risk analysis – bioethics
Subjects: General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology
Specific Sciences > Earth Sciences
General Issues > Theory/Observation
Depositing User: Milan Cirkovic
Date Deposited: 29 Oct 2016 16:45
Last Modified: 31 May 2017 00:31
Item ID: 12553
Official URL: http://www.f.bg.ac.rs/bpa/
Subjects: General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology
Specific Sciences > Earth Sciences
General Issues > Theory/Observation
Date: 28 October 2016
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12553

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item