Questions tagged [cosmology]
91
questions
-1
votes
2
answers
231
views
How the air and earth elements have been seen in several cosmologies?
In the classical philosophy, air is hot and wet, while earth is cold and dry.
In the Indian teachings, both of these are rather cold; air is dry and earth is wet.
These are merely examples. I'd like ...
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
175
views
Does physical cosmology imply ontological dualism?
This question has to do with scientific claims about the universe and could be asked in a number of ways.
To my own very imperfect understanding, claims about "the universe" cannot be scientific ...
- 12.9k
1
vote
3
answers
981
views
What are the relationships between the classical elements?
I cannot find in sources of Empedocles the actual relations between all of the 4 elements. He stated that everything is in some relation to each other as being in love (i.e. positive, attracting) or ...
- 119
2
votes
2
answers
398
views
If X cannot emerge from nothingness, must X's existence be the decision of a Creator? [closed]
Laurence Krauss wrote a book titled "A Universe from Nothing" explaining how the Universe might have began. In this book Krauss does not address why the laws of physics exist, why they have the form ...
- 329
13
votes
9
answers
745
views
Does refuting the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God necessarily require belief in a Multiverse?
The fine-tuning argument for the existence of God is based on the fact that certain physical constants can only have very specific values for life to exist in the universe. If there was even the ...
- 26.8k
1
vote
6
answers
265
views
Isn't anti razor as valid as Occam razor in explaining the Universe and things in it? [closed]
I give an example where this question is important:
There are 2 explanations of how the Universe came into existence:
The Universe come out of nothing or something similar to nothing like quantum ...
1
vote
2
answers
294
views
The Copernican Principle and the Giant Void [closed]
Daniel Holz writes on a popular science blog Cosmic Variance:"The Copernican principle is a guiding foundation of cosmology. In short, it states that we are not in a privileged place in the Universe. ...
- 42k
10
votes
5
answers
980
views
What is nothing?
In Lawrence Krauss' book A Universe From Nothing he portrays "nothing" as a physical state. He says that nothing is found by removing all of what we know to be things (particles, electrons etc). I've ...
- 101
4
votes
4
answers
305
views
Book about presocratic cosmology
Is there any book focusing on presocratic cosmological ideas?
Such as Heraclitus: The Cosmic Fragments, but covering all of the presocratics.
My main motivation is that I would like to give a lecture ...
- 149
1
vote
4
answers
500
views
Does a beginning imply an ending? (In regards to the universe)
In regards to the universe if it said to have a start (Beginning) does that imply that it will have an end? Are beginning and ends implied when either ones is said to be true of a proposition or can ...
- 2,255
13
votes
12
answers
4k
views
How could our universe suddenly appear out of nothingness?
How could our universe suddenly appear out of nothingness? I understand that the big bang created all things but how could it when nothingness is purely the absence of everything?
- 141
5
votes
4
answers
784
views
Flawed argument involving anthropic principle?
In his book Time Reborn: From the Crisis in Physics to the Future of the Universe theoretical physicist Lee Smolin takes a shot at the anthropic principle. He is not in favor, because the principle ...
- 1,634
1
vote
2
answers
316
views
According to Wikipedia, science can be divided into empirical science (such as natpirical s
According to Wikipedia, science can be divided into empirical science (such as natural science and social science) and formal science (such as mathematics, logic, statistics). I was wondering if ...
- 19
8
votes
4
answers
389
views
What is a miracle, and why should it influence our metaphysical beliefs?
There's a question on this site regarding what a rational person should accept as a miracle, but the question and its answers seem to take the definition and categorization (as well as consequence) of ...
- 1,881
6
votes
3
answers
824
views
Can there be Creation Ex Nihilo?
In Christian & Islamic Theology, one could argue that there can't be Creation Ex Nihilo since 'before' Creation there was God.
In Philosophical Naturalism (which is not Physicalism - it subsumes ...
2
votes
3
answers
229
views
What makes primitive cosmology primitive?
In Mary Douglas's Purity & Danger, she reports that the anthropologist Vansina
recalled affectionately three very independent thinkers he found amongst the Bushong, who liked to expound their ...
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can Something Exist in Nothing (Outside the bounds of our Universe)?
I have always been intrigued by cosmology and the idea that there is a possibility that absolutely nothing exists beyond our universe.
Now I know that there are many theories regarding the universe (...
- 41
4
votes
3
answers
391
views
GUT and TOE as Fallacies of Misplaced Concreteness?
A.N. Whitehead warns in the introduction to Process and Reality, that the “chief error” of Western philosophy is “overstatement.” He states: “the aim at generalization is sound, but the estimate of ...
- 1,797
1
vote
0
answers
123
views
Is the cosmological principle empircally compativle with the concept of relativity?
OK...before everyone blasts this with references to the relativistic invariance of the physical laws, time dilation, etc let me add some context. Also, I am an amateur with an interest in physics, so ...
user4634
0
votes
4
answers
3k
views
What is the argument in this Paragraph
What is the argument in this Paragraph (Aquinas's Five Ways):
The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things which lack intelligence, such as natural bodies, act for an ...
- 1
4
votes
2
answers
362
views
Is a theory of physics possible with no constants?
The Standard Model of Physics has a number of constants. Obviously the fewer the better - simply in terms of there being less fundamentally inexplicable constants to explain.
It seems to me, in as ...
5
votes
2
answers
244
views
Can the fine-tuning problem be finessed out of existence via the multi-verse?
The standard model has a number of constants whose specific values are under scrutiny. The fine-tuning problem is that these constants must be a very narrow range for the universe to exist in a real ...
5
votes
1
answer
485
views
Should Time and Space Serve as Necessary or Contingent modalities of Division in Cosmology?
In the introduction to Process and Reality, Whitehead criticizes the tendency to posit logical or ontological necessity as the primary modes of cosmological explanation. For Whitehead time is a ...
- 1,797
2
votes
2
answers
300
views
Is a void where the laws of physics hold actually a void?
I don't have much background in Cosmology, but an argument I've heard is that the universe sprang into existence from the void via a quantum fluctuation. That is both spacetime & its matter/energy ...
1
vote
2
answers
790
views
Why do we assume that we know there is a difference between something and nothing?
For example, we ask questions like: Why is there something rather than nothing? it implies that we know the characteristics of what constitutes nothing and something. What if what we perceive as ...
- 163
1
vote
1
answer
195
views
Does the universe have solid structures on multiple spatial scales?
Is it reasonable to suggest that if we were to "zoom out" further and further in space with our eyes focused on some object at our initial position, that all the solar systems, then galaxies, and so ...
user3694
-3
votes
2
answers
221
views
Changing Universe vs Infinity: [closed]
If we accept the idea of a dynamic, changing, evolving Universe (Big Bang Theory), must Infinity remain entirely conceptual?
If the Universe is changing and evolving, this necessarily implies borders ...
- 461
1
vote
3
answers
4k
views
Can there be an infinite chain of causes/effects? [duplicate]
One of Aristotle's premises for proving that God exists is that there cannot be an infinite chain of causes and effects, hence there must be one cause which had no previous cause (i.e. God).
Does ...
- 266
-3
votes
1
answer
233
views
How something came from nothing. [closed]
I am not sure whether I am asking this question at the right site of Stack Exchange.
If one thinks of a time when there was nothing in this void (I would not even say “in this universe” because the ...
- 5
4
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Can we ever know the origin of universe? [closed]
For sake of argument, let's assume that everything has to come from something. In this case, our universe must have come from something, lets call it 'thing 1'. 'Thing 1' in turn must have come from '...
- 149
1
vote
2
answers
226
views
To what extent did the Presocratics borrow from neighbouring Babylonian & Egyptian cultures?
The IEP entry on Anaximander has:
The astronomy of neighboring peoples, such as the Babylonians and the Egyptians, consists mainly of observations...In contrast, there exists only one report of an ...
2
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Why is there a God rather than nothing? [closed]
Theists ask, "Why is there something rather than nothing?" How would they answer the question, "Why is there a God rather than nothing?" Is this a valid objection to theism?
- 29
5
votes
3
answers
193
views
How is concept of Nature different from a concept like God?
I have regularly noticed people using words "Nature, Natural" to describe events, objects etc. Sometimes to denote contrast from "Artificial" origin, sometimes by atheists to refute "Intelligent ...
user2411
1
vote
1
answer
142
views
Are there philosophical principles that made convincing in antiquity that the Earth was a sphere?
According to Wikipedia, there is no account of how the sphericity of the Earth was established. Though it goes on to say 'A plausible explanation is that it was "the experience of travellers that ...
7
votes
1
answer
273
views
What role does "counting histories" play in Deutsch's critique of the "simulation argument"?
In his book The Beginning of Infinity, David Deutsch argues that there is a problematic assumption behind the simulation argument that "virtually all instances of us are in ... simulations and not in ...
- 265
13
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What is the best scientific argumentation against the Dust Theory?
The "Dust Theory", by Greg Egan, states that...
... there is no difference, even in principle, between
physics and mathematics, and that all mathematically possible
structures exist, among ...
20
votes
10
answers
4k
views
Is the universe isomorphic to a universal turing machine?
I often think about problems that require an understanding of the very essence of computation and its inherent limitations. So, my questions are as followed:
Is the universe isomorphic to a universal ...
- 317
37
votes
13
answers
3k
views
What should a rational person accept as a miracle?
I was reading through this collection of short essays from theologians, scientists and thinkers each responding to the question "Does the Universe have a purpose?" which was suggested to me in a ...
- 1,769
33
votes
18
answers
9k
views
What is the purpose of the universe? [closed]
There are two extremes known as creationism vs evolutionism. Let's consider creationism for a moment, and imagine that God exists, and he/she has created us. The question that obsesses my mind after ...
- 1,769
1
vote
6
answers
631
views
Does Intelligent Design need Religion?
Is it possible to define the source of intelligent causes, which provides the foundation for the Intelligent Design theory, from a purely scientific perspective? Is yes, How? If not, why not?
- 159
8
votes
3
answers
1k
views
How do proponents of the Cosmological argument respond to the nature of time?
How do proponents of the Cosmological argument respond to the nature of time?
Is asking what occurred before the Big Bang like asking what is north of the North Pole?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
- 223