Goldilocks Enigma: Why is the Universe Just Right for Life?

Science

Goldilocks Enigma: Why is the Universe Just Right for Life?

Paul Davies

Since time immemorial man has repeatedly asked these questions; why was this universe created, what is the role of man in it? Progress of science and human reason (and philosophy) gave us finer and more convincing explanations to these basic questions but one question always remained in the end; why this particular explanation? Every theory; Big Bang, Inflationary Universe, Multiverse, or Intelligent Design, leads to this infinite regression of why this particular theory and who chose and why he chose this particular theory to create universe? How did He come into existence? Einstein in his last days was frenetically looking for the ultimate Grand Unified Theory (GUT) which would unite all the forces in the universe and provide a simple explanation for its existence. But success eluded him and more than sixty years after his death physicists are still looking for this holy grail of science. String or M theory which gives elegant theoretical but no experimental proof for its claim as the most eligible candidate for GUT, will not escape the conundrum of infinite regression even if its claims are proved valid. ‘Why M Theory?’ would be the question then. Though this seems like an inane, puerile riddle, it has deep significance when one contemplates the origin of universe and its nature. An explanation has to be complete in itself and the theory putting this forth should not be seen to merely push the ultimate answer one step further (or backwards). In light of these arguments it seems acceptance of certain theories, facts, and laws as necessary or given is an imperative for any system which intends to explain the origin of universe.

            When we turn our gaze on the origin of life, we face more intriguing dilemmas. Universe and specially earth seem to be uniquely designed for life. The physical parameters like the ratio of the strength of various forces of nature, mass of elementary particles, density of matter in universe, are all so finely tuned that even one part in a million variation in these would have made it impossible for life to originate and proliferate on earth. Is it not most natural then to believe in an all knowing and all-powerful creator, when confronted with such uncanny precision in the design of this vast universe, just the observable (as of today) expanse of which might stretch to 10²³ Kms? And this universe contains a puny little speck of dust, our earth, revolving around a moderate sized star which is one of the hundred billion such stars in the Milky Way galaxy, which itself is one of the galaxies amongst the hundreds of billions of such in the universe. That the laws of physics contrived to make conditions conducive for life to originate on one of these infinitesimally small collections of matter, one amongst billions and billions of such, is a fact which is simultaneously humbling and glorifying. And it is impossible to escape the lure of this story.

            Paul Davies’ objective in this book is to discuss the ‘Goldilocks’ Enigma’ i.e. why universe is just right for life like the porridge in the tale which was just right, neither too hot nor too cold, for Goldilocks and the three bears. On the way he touches on almost all aspects of cosmology, including the impasses, raising some tantalising questions and also offers his views and suggests possible solutions.

            Throughout the book he draws our attention towards certain gripping facts which never occur to our untrained minds otherwise. In the first chapter he lists the big questions that confront cosmologists today and which he intends to take up in the book. In this introductory chapter he also talks about the nature of physical laws. Are these inscriptive (i.e. they govern the formation and then maintenance of universe) or descriptive (i.e. these are just the tools to describe the phenomena of universe)? Are these laws real or invented? Why do they enjoy a special status? First half of the book is devoted to discussion on cosmology. He explains various concepts and theories which are pertinent to the understanding of cosmos. He talks of classical Big Bang theory, Inflationary theory, Quantum cosmology, the Eternal Inflation which envisages multiverse. He devotes a complete chapter on particle physics. In another chapter he discusses GUT. These are difficult and abstract concepts but Paul Davies gently leads the reader by his hand through this wondrous, if occasionally tortuous, world of knowledge. His explanations are lucid but he does not rely much on allegories and metaphors to simplify theoretical physics for us. The reader has a fleeting sense (it may just be an illusion) of having witnessed the working of pure science. There are no equations, formulae or scientific symbols in the whole book.

            Second half of the book deals with the Goldilocks’ Enigma. As I mentioned in the beginning there are certain free parameters values of which are given and no theory can predict these. These have to be determined by experiment. The amazing fact is that life would not have originated had these values differed even in most minute quantity from their observed values. It is this seemingly contrived nature of the universe which has baffled physicists for long. In a chapter he introduces the reader to this deep and mesmerizingly beautiful mystery of universe and in further chapters elucidates the efforts of scientists in understanding this intriguing phenomenon. In another chapter he discusses some important facets of intelligent design and the need for postulating God to explain universe. He takes up each theory and attempts to assess if it can offer an explanation about the ultimate origin of universe. He avers that all theories would require some given facts, axioms or the concept of God to avoid infinite regression.

            It is the last chapter of the book ‘How come existence’ that makes this book indisputably unique amongst its peers. Here Paul Davies discusses the origin of consciousness and awareness in the universe. These are the attributes which set humans apart from myriad other life forms that have evolved on earth. He states that like Stephen Hawking who once said ‘The human race is just a chemical scum on a moderate-sized planet’, most scientists today regard ‘life as a trivial, accidental embellishment to the physical world of no particular significance in the overall cosmic scheme of things.’ He further clarifies that there exist minority of scientists who refuse to accept life as ‘merely an incidental by-product of nature’ and maintain that it is ‘a deeply significant part of the cosmic story’. He brings the persuasive powers of his intelligent and analytical mind, deep understanding of the concepts being discussed, wide knowledge, and exquisite language skills to bear on this supremely fine essay. He argues convincingly, citing many renowned scientists and some philosophers (I have noticed that distinction between a physicist and philosopher vanishes as one delves deeper into science) that there is a definite case, though a mist still shrouds the ultimate truth, for believing that life forming principle is inextricably mixed with the physical laws that led to the origin of universe. He persuades us with sound reasoning, to at least recognise the possibility that awareness and comprehensibility of universe are the fundamental properties of universe without which universe could not have existed. In the last chapter he summarises various theories of origin of universe listing their merits and failings. He also declares his faith, which is clear earlier in the text too, ‘I do take life, mind and purpose seriously…I cannot accept these features as a package of marvels which just happen to be, which exist reasonlessly. It seems to me that there is a genuine scheme of things. The universe is ‘about’ something. But I am equally uneasy about dumping the whole set of problems in the lap of an arbitrary god, or abandoning all further thought and declaring existence ultimately to be a mystery.’

            Davies’ language is elegant, his prose concise and clear and the many esoteric concepts discussed in the book are presented with an amazing lucidity. Some of these that are not absolutely essential for an immediate understanding of the subject are presented in text boxes. Notes at the end of the book are illuminating and provide many references for further reading. As a ready reckoner he lists the main points discussed, at the end of each chapter. This is truly a great book, a must read for all who have ever wondered about our existence and its relation to the universe.