THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE

AND THE PHILOSOPICAL

ASPECTS OF COSMOLOGY

Prof. Mariusz P. Dbrowski

Institute of Physics,
University of Szczecin

(Lectures I-V) read to

students of theology
Szczecin Cosmology Group
http://cosmo.fiz.univ.szczecin.pl
Cosmological expansion of the galaxies according to
Einsteins theory (see above) suggests that the universe
could have started with the Big-Bang.
The gravitational waves background was created soon after the Big-Bang. Its discovery
could be the next prove for the reality of the event. The gravitational waves are also
produced in astrophysical phenomena such as: coalescing binaries of the neutron stars
and the black holes. There exists a space project LISA to detect such waves (see above).
ITER
reaktor
termojdrowy
Szczecin Cosmology Group carries on advanced research in large-scale structure of the universe and its past and future evolution. The basic framework of the research is
not only general relativity but also more avangardous unification of interactions theories such as superstring and M-theory. The group has a broad international
collaboration, e.g. with prof. John D. Barrow (see top right) from Cambridge University a mathematician, the 2005 Templeton Prize winner and the author of many
worlwide-known popular books in physics and cosmology. We also collaborate with rev. prof. Michael Heller (see top right) from Vatican Observatory and Interdisciplinary
Kopernik Center in Krakw the 2007 Templeton Prize winner a physicist, a philosopher and a theologian.
The members of the group are: prof. M.P. Dbrowski, prof.. J. Garecki, prof.. J. Stelmach, A. Balcerzak (M. Sc.) and Dr. T. Denkiewicz.
For full info about the group see: http://cosmo.fiz.univ.szczecin.pl.
One of the key assumptions of the
superstring theory is that all the
elementary particles at the
extremely small scale are not point
objects, but rather extended and
continuously vibrating strings. The
scattering of the two strings can be
described by a pants diagram
(see right).
The most convincing
evidence for the reality of
the Big-Bang was the
discovery of the
electromagnetic cosmic
microwave background
(see left). About the
future evolution of the
universe one is able to
learn by observing the
exploding supernovae
(see right).
I. Anthropic aspects of
cosmology.
1. The man in the Universe.
Cosmological Anthropic Principles.
Masses and sizes of the objects in
the Universe are not arbitrary.
What does it mean?
Heights and masses of the human population
Object Radius m Mass kg
Universe 10
26
10
51
Galaxy Milky Way 10
21
10
41
Star Sun 10
9
10
30
planet earth 10
4
10
25
Man 10
0
10
2
bacterium ! !
virus ! !
atom hydrogen 10
-10
10
-27
nucleus hydrogen 10
-15
10
-27
Besides, the physical world is full of various
coincidences,
which are required for life to exist.
Examples (out of hundreds): water shrinks
at 0-4 Celcius degree, the Earth has the only
one and quite large natural satellite due to
which it does not wobble chaotically,
electrons are light enough compared to
the nuclei etc.
0 2 4 6 8 10
1,00000
1,00005
1,00010
1,00015
1,00020
1,00025
O
b
|

t
o
s
c

w
l
a
s
c

w
a

|
c
m
3

/
g

|
Temperatura|
0
C |
Rys. 1. Volume against temperature for 1g
of water
!

"
#$"
!
%
#
&'(
)*#
(!+
#
(!+
#
&'(
0
Rys. 2. The interaction force between
particles at the separation r
Anomalous expansion of water
At 0-4 Celcius the density of water grows
(volume shrinks)
Rys.3 Orbitals of
water molecule H
2
O
Rys. 4 Water molecule: O oxygen
atom, H hydrogen atom,
+
,
--
- partial charges
Rys 5. The formation of clusters of
molecules.
It plays the key role for the living organisms to survive in water
reservoirs in winter
the ice which is formed during condensation remains near the surface
while the cold water at the temperature 0-4 Celcius
falls onto the tank bed which allows the living organisms to function.
Chaotic motion of the planets and moons.
Chaotic change of their obliquity.
Mars has no natural satellite (moon) and its chaotic change of obliquity
can be much larger than 45 degrees. This means that the
poles may mutually interchange with the equator.
Then the polar cap ice may evaporate and form on the equator.
A large change of obliquity is also possible for Venus and Mercury.
The Earth without the Moon could change its obliquity
of about 6-7 degrees.
The Earth with the Moon changes it obliquity only of about
1,3 degrees
(an average obliquity of the Earth is about 23,3 degrees)

A compact structure of atoms
A compact, not overlapping
structure nucleus, empty space,
electrons. This gives opportunities for
richness of chemistry.
If the size of the nucleus and the atom
were comparable the latter would look
like a binary or a multiple system of
stars each of them orbiting the others.
Atoms would be less stable and the
compositions of the chemicals would
be more difficult to form.
Cosmological
Anthropic Principles
Brandon Carter (1974),
Frank J. Tipler
i John D. Barrow (1986)
What was the reason that out of many possible ways of
evolution of the Universe a special one was chosen the one
which led to formation of the galaxies, stars, planetary
systems and, consecutively,
an unconscious life and a conscious life?
(relates to physics, chemistry, biology, psychology,
philosophy, theology)
Weak Anthropic Principle
The observed values of all physical and
cosmological quantities are not equally probable,
but they take on values restricted by the
requirement that there there exist sites where
carbon-based life can evolve and by the
requirement that the Universe be old enough for it
to have already done so.
(life may evolve Bayes theorem in probability)
Strong Anthropic Principle
The Universe must have those properties which
allow life to develop within it at some stage in its
history.
In other words (physically):
constants of Nature (e.g. gravitational constant) and
laws of Nature (e.g. Newtons law of gravity) must
be such that life can exist
Interpretation A
There exists only one possible Universe ``designed
with the goal of generating and sustaining
``observers.
(teleology An Intelligent Project)
Interpretation B
Observers are necessary to bring the Universe
into being.
(PAP Participatory Anthropic Principle)
(John Archibald Wheeler, ideas of Berkeley)
Interpretation C
An ensamble of other different universes is
necessary for the existence of our Universe.
(Many-Worlds theory of H. Everett; contemporary
superstring theory admits an incredibly many ways
(10
500
) of generating possible constants of Nature.
Each of them may be governed by different
laws of Nature.)
Final Anthropic Principle
Intelligent information-processing must come into
existence in the Universe, and, once it comes into
existence, it will never die out.
Another formulation
(of Final Anthropic Principle):
No moral values of any sort can exist in a lifeless
cosmology.
Discussion: Strong Anthropic Principle intrpretation C
W a set of all possible universes with all possible values
of the fundamental physical constants (e.g. light velocity)
and all possible physical laws (e.g. gravitational Newtons law)
P a set of the Universes with the values of the fundamental constants
and physical laws which admit
the existence of observers (not necessarily the human)
T test (observation), which out of the set of all possible
universes W described by a certain physical theory
selects the Universe which belongs to P
Some interpretations say that:

either there exists an Intelligent Designer, who planned the

Universe in a way which allows the humans to exist

or there exists an infinite set of all possible universes (with

humans occupying one of them)
However (Heller 2008):
God as Omnipotent could have created both one Universe and
also infinitely many Universes
(though in many of them there is no life of our type).
Then, the hypothesis of many Universes does not exclude the
hypothesis of a God (it is even more attractive from the point of
view of the power and Omnipotency of God i.e. theologically)
Another comment: it seems that there are no obstacles to a
hypothesis that there exists life in the universe which is of a
different nature (i.e., totally unlike our form of life).
In many-world interpretation the set W philosophically plays
the role of an absolute it appeals to infinity and explains
everything.
Then, rejecting an absolute in the form of God one brings a
new absolute into being - the set W of infinitely many
Universes.
The question remains if the absolute is God, or if it is an
abstract set W?
Besides, the infinity is necessary in order to explain the
existence of a man in the Universe.
2. Fundamental interactions in nature as
determinants of admissible sizes and
masses of the objects in the Universe.
We will try to prove that the specific intensity of various
interactions in nature which is reflected by fixed constants
of nature has a direct relation to the fact that there exist or
there lack certain objects in the Universe and that in Our
Universe the existence of different objects (of different
sizes and masses see the diagram given earlier) is just
impossible!
Fundamental interactions in
nature the range
Gravitational infinite range
Electromagnetic infinite range
Nuclear strong range of the nucleus size (1/ 10
15
m
one thousands millions millions millions of a metre)
Nuclear weak range 1000 times smaller
(but only at the normal i.e. such as we observe in
our everyday life we will explain this later)
Interaction between particles
How to describe the interaction between the two electric charges?
They are not connected by strings like two metal balls!?
But the role of strings is played by invisible particles exchanges
between two charges they are called the interaction particles!
Analogy -
interaction of
electrons in
hydrogen (H2)
molecule
particle 1
particle 2
An exchanged
(virtual) particle
The interaction takes place as long as the virtual particle (here the ball)
is exchanged
We cannot see the exchanged particles
(at least with a naked eye)
what does this mean
many-particle interaction
Fundamental interactions -
intensity
Gravitational weakest (cf. Cavendish experiment)
Weak 100.000.000.000.000 (14 zeros) hundred
milion milion times stronger
Electromagnetic 10
40
(40 zeros) (ten thousand
billion billion billion billion) times stronger
Strong 10
42
(42 zeros) times stronger
(proton and electron attract each other 10
40
times
stronger electrically than gravitationally)
Sir Izaak Newton (1642-1727) the
``father of gravity
Benefitted from the research of Johannes Kepler (1571-1630),
who accepted Nicolaus Copernicus theory
III Keplers Laws of planetary motion
Music of the celestial spheres
(Harmonices Mundi -
Harmony of the Universe)
(1619)
Newtons apple the symbol of
gravitational attraction.
Newton realised that it is the same interaction
which causes the projectile motion of a
cannonball, an elliptical motion of the moon
around the Earth and planets around the Sun.
Force = constant G x
mass1 mass2/(distance)
2
Gravitational constant was first measured by Sir
Henry Cavendish (1731-1810) it emerged that
its value is small gravity starts playing the role
first of all for large masses
(tides, Solar System, the Cosmos).
Cavendish experiment there is a replica in the hall of the Faculty of
Mathematics and Physics, University of Szczecin
Electric interaction is
10.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000
(ten thousand billion billion billion billion)
(40 zeros) times stronger however, the matter
in the Universe is electrically neutral.
(A human is kept together of particles and molecules due to electric interaction only!).
Strong nuclear interaction is responsible for
the stability of atomic nuclei.
Electric interaction is responsible for
the stability of the atoms.
Gravitational interaction is responsible for
the stability of solar systems and galaxies.
Weak nuclear interaction
is responsible for radioactivity of nuclei.
Philosophical questions:
What is the structure of matter: granular or extended?
Can we part matter infinitely deep?
Atom can be parted whats next?
Does matter exist separately (i.e. independently)
of space in which (we think!) it is placed?
Does space in which we think matter is placed is
continuous?
Elementary particles (the most
fundamental components of matter):
Matter particles:
Quarks
Leptons
Interaction particles:
Photons;
bosons W, Z;
gluons;
gravitons
Quark confinement end of partition?
Behave like magnets their partition by pumping energy leads to
a pair of magnets production (here: new particles)
Matter antimatter antagonism?
Why our neighbourhood is composed of the matter
rather than the antimatter?
Atom of matter positively charged nucleus (protons)
and negatively charged electrons
Atom of antimatter (antiatom) negatively charged nucleus (antiprotons)
and positively charged electrons (positrons)
Antimatter is unstable in our neighbourhood. It annihilates with matter
and creates electromagnetic radiation (photons).
Determinants of admissible sizes of
objects in the Universe are fundamental
interactions in nature their intensity is
given by the values of the coupling
constants.
Gravitational infinite range
Electromagnetic infinite range
Strong nuclear range of the size of the nucleus
Weak nuclear range 1000 times smaller
3. The admissible sizes of atoms,
molecules, planets and asteroids.
The sizes of atoms and molecules are determined by the
two parameters:

the fine structure constant (proportional to the electric

constant) equal to " = 1/137

the ratio of masses of proton and electron

equal to # = 1/1836
It emerges that the ratio of the size of the nucleous to the
size of an atom is proportional to the number " # << 1,
which is much less than unity this causes that the atoms
possess a compact structure.
Everyday life objects (e.g. a book) exist due to
an equilibrium between a repulsive pressure of
degenerated electrons in atoms and an
electrostatic attraction of these electrons with
nuclei.
Larger objects (e.g. planets) more charges give
instabilities; gravity starts playing the role (masses
start to matter, not only the charges) an equilibrium
between a repulsive pressure of degenerated electrons
and their gravitational attraction appears.
More specific calculations show that for the planets:
R = (0,7/A) milions of km (A mass number)
M = 1/(A
2
) 10
28
(milion milion milion milions) kg
(Earth M=6 x 10
24
kg; Jupiter M=1,9 x 10
27
kg)
The result is a consequence of a specific intensity of the
electromagnetic and the gravitational interactions.
More compact objects may start nuclear fusion processes inside
and become stars.
Nuclear fusion (fusion) a basic idea
Two charged particles must approach each other to a distance
which is equal to the range of the strong nuclear interaction.
Large velocity is necessary to overcome the electric repulsion
in other words the high temperature is needed
this is guaranteed by to gravitational attraction
which makes the particles to accelerate faster.
Such processes take place inside the Sun.
Thermonuclear power plants (ITER project).
An admissible undulations (a mountain) of size H on a planet
of a radius R and a planetoidal acceleration g.
This limit comes from the comparison of the pressure exerted
on a mountain base and the atomic bonds strenght of the base.
If the pressure is too large, then the base will start to liquify
without any essential change of the volume and there will be
a plastic deformation.
A limit for the Earth is H ~ 30 km.
A planet of a size R ~ H is not spherical and is
an asteroid an asymmetric ``conglomerate of matter, something
of a shape of a ``cosmic stone a dangerous ``missile for planets.
4. Cosmology and particle physics.
Elementary particle laboratories.
Unification of interactions. Theories of
Everything in physics superstrings.
Edward Witten
It was mentioned that in order to some interactions to
turn on (e.g. nuclear strong),
the particles must approach each other closely .
In the current stage of the evolution of the universe it is only possible
in some special conditions
(e.g. inside the Sun, thermonuclear power plant
However, according to Einsteins general relativity theory (1915)
the earlier the Universe the larger its density is.
It is possible since in the history of the
Universe nowadays the atoms are almost
empty puste and their constituents can be
tightly packed
(as, for example, in neutron stars):
The Early Universe state in which there
existed only a hot soup of the simplest
components of matter e.g. quarks,
protons, electrons, electromagnetic waves
etc.
The Early Universe gives conditions for a
change of the intensity of fundamental
interactions.
Initial state Big-Bang the energy
density (energy per a unit volume) and
the pressure (force per a unit surface)
become infinite!
Unification of interactions in nature
the closer to a Big-Bang the differences in intensity
of fundamental interactions becomes
smaller
"1 coupling constant of electromagnetic interactions
"2 coupling constant of nuclear weak interactions
"3 coupling constant of nuclear strong interactions
If in the Early Universe the particles approached each other as close as to
10
-28
cm, then there was no difference between these interactions
there existed
only one common interaction
strong-electro-weak
Modification needed - supersymmetry
Spin of a particle
0 looks the same from each side
1 looks the same after rotating of 360 degree
2 looks the same after rotating of 180 degree
- looks the same after rotating of 720 degree (two times 360!)
?
Supersymmetry is a symmetry between matter particles and
mediating the interaction particles.
The former possess an integer spin (bosons 0, 1, 2, ...)
and the latter possess a fractional spin (fermions 1/2 , 3/2, .....).
A consequence each known particle has
a supersymmetric partner
(not yet discovered experimentally).
(Super)strings
Lead to the unification of all four fundamental
interactions in nature
when particles come as close as to
10
-35
of a meter
(ten times one billionth billionth billionth billionth
of a meter)
It could have happened
10
-44
seconds after Big-Bang.
Super Kamiokande particle detector
-
cylindrical shape
-
filled with 50.000 tons of water
-
on its surface there are 11 thousand of photomultipliers of about
50 cm of size each
-
photomultipliers register Cherenkov radiation
produced by charged particles
which travel faster than light (in water)
It was used to evaluate that the proton cannot
decay earlier than after (p -> e
+

o
)>10
30

years
(the age of the Universe ~ 10
10
years)
Set to detect incoming to Earth neutrinos from the Sun, from
the atmosphere and from the cosmos (e.g. from supernovae explosion)
Large Hadron Collider (09/2008)
CERN(Center of European Nuclear Research),
(Genewa, Szwajcaria)
two beams of hadrons (e.g. protons)
collide
causing the whole ``cascade
of other particles
velocity of beams is 99,999999%
of the light velocity
One is looking for:
-
supersymmetric particles
-
Higgs particles
-
extra dimensions (string theory)
-
microscopic black holes
-
dark matter and dark energy
Biggest particle physics laboratory
- the Universe
particles which are
produced in laboratories already
existed somewhere in the Universe
so
we should observe
their influence onto its evolution.
5. Antropic aspects of the emergence of
life on Earth.
Could/can exist animals larger than dinosaurs on Earth?
The smallest size of an habitable planet:
The moon and smaller celestial bodies cannot protect their
athmosphere from escaping!!!
Average thermal motion of the gas particles after heating by the
Sun is larger than an escape velocity of a particle from a
gravitating object (same we have to set for the rocket to escape a
given gravitating object)
The largest size of an habitable planet:
A planet which is larger than Jupiter due to gravity could burn its
nuclear particles inside (nuclear fusion) and become a star.
Habitable planets (with an organic life):
Gallileo (1638) - strength and sizes of living bodies scale different
with their linear sizes L:

mass scales as L
3

strength scales as L
2

Also: heat loss/heat generation ~ L
2
/ L
3
~ 1/L
Proportional increase of the sizes of animals may cause that they
will be unable to support their weights
molecular bonds will be disrupted
The condition for a human to ``exist:
Gravitational energy on the surface of a planet < energy required
for fracture
Depends also on " and "_G:
L_c ~ A
(-1/6)
10
(1/2)
("/"_G)
(1/4)
a_0 ~ a 10000 cm
M_c ~ A 10
(-9/2)
("/"_G )
(1/4)
m_N ~ 100 kg
The higher the animal the easier to break itself due to its own
weight.
Largest known mammal on Earth a whale of average mass
of 130 tons
In the water an effective weigh is reduced to Q_e = (1 r_w/r_s) Q
Which give nan upper limit for the mass of a four-legged animal on
the surface of Earth of about 90 tons (Brachiosaur weighed 80 tons)
Nowadays the largest - an elephant weighs ``onlyabout 7 tons.
The phenomenon of life on the planet Earth is
closely related
to specific properties of the fundamental interactions
(given by laws of physics and constants of physics)
which exist in the Universe and in Our Universe these forces
have strictly determined form, which conditions this type of life.
The Anthropic Cosmological Principles are tools which give us
an insight into the problem of
a necessity or a freedom of a choice
of a specific form of these interactions in Our Universe.