Cosmology: milky way size is enormous (Introduction)

by dhw, Thursday, June 06, 2019, 08:49 (1999 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: We know the universe is fine-tuned for life, and it is seen that the Milky Way is also fine-tuned in its size and the safety for the Earth so far out from the dangerous center of the galaxy. Perhaps the enormity of the universe has a purpose we don't yet understand. Modern cosmology as a science is very young. Your agnosticism has to accept that your view allows is all by chance, including the appearance of our consciousness which allows you and I to have this discussion. I see design that must have a designer.

dhw: I don’t understand your first sentence. So far the only life we know of in this vast universe is ours. It would seem then that so far only our galaxy is “fine-tuned for life”. So the question remains: why would your always-in-total-control God design all the galaxies that are not fine-tuned for life if all he wanted was us? “A purpose we don’t yet understand” is not much of an answer. My agnosticism allows for chance and allows for your designer. I am unable to take firm decisions on matters “we don’t yet understand”, and your use of “yet” puts you very much on a par with Dawkins, who talks of “natural phenomena we don’t yet understand.” Both of you imply that time will reveal the truth of your subjective beliefs. He continues: “If there is something that appears to lie beyond the natural world as it is now imperfectly understood, we hope eventually to understand it and embrace it within the natural (God Delusion, p.14). I would put the atheist hope exactly on a par with the theist hope for the opposite.

DAVID: You are simply describing our differences. I have chosen to believe in God because of evidence I see which is beyond a reasonable doubt.

I am not questioning your belief in God. I am questioning your interpretation of your God’s motives and methods.

DAVID: Whenever we question God's designs, research eventually shows the reasons: the retina an the appendix are two examples. I don't question the size of the universe. Do you think just our galaxy should exist?

Just like Dawkins, you hope your interpretation of the universe will be proven correct. No, I don’t think just our galaxy should exist. I am asking you to explain why you think your God created vast numbers of galaxies unsuitable for life if – as you constantly maintain – his only purpose for creating the universe was to produce H. sapiens. I am not questioning your God’s designs but your interpretation of his motives and methods, and I do not find “research eventually shows the reasons” a very satisfying answer to my question about galaxies.