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We have made the statement over the last several weeks that if we are to engage the Bible skeptics of the world in a discussion about the being and nature of God, then one place we can find common ground from which to have that conversation is by looking at the world around us. We had said if you want to know about the nature of an artist, then you need to look at their paintings. So, we began last week to study how the First Cause made “the things that have been made,” to gain insight into the nature of the First Cause. Since all created things are made up of atoms, a great example of fine-tuning in the universe can be seen in what are called the four primary force constants; the strong nuclear force constant, the weak nuclear force constant, the gravitational force constant, and the electromagnetic force constant. This week we continue our inquiry starting with the weak nuclear force constant.
The weak nuclear force constant governs among several things, the rate of radioactive decay. If the weak force were much stronger than it is, the matter in the universe would all be quickly converted to heavy elements. If the weak force were any weaker, then only the very lightest elements in the universe could be formed. Either way there would be none of the essential elements for life like carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus. You cannot build a human being out of heavy elements like lead and bismuth, or out of very light elements like hydrogen and helium The third force constant, gravitational force constants, are responsible for the orderly rotation and orbit of the planets. It turns out that this force is extremely sensitive, or we might say it is extremely fine-tuned for life. Gravitational forces are also responsible for stellar burn rates. And, like the other force constants, the gravitational force has a very tight range that is conducive to life. If the gravitational force constant were altered by as little as 1 x 10-38 our sun would not exist.
That is a tiny number. That is zero, point, 38 zeros, then 1, percent. Remember what the Psalmist says? “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps 19:1). Gravitational forces not only keep the planets in their perfect orbits but also determine how hot the core of a star will burn. If the gravitational forces were any stronger, the stars would burn up too quickly and erratically for life. If the gravitational force constant were lower, stars would never become hot enough to ignite nuclear fusion which produces a range of essential medium to heavy elements. The fourth force constant is the electromagnetic force constant. And it also concerns chemical bonding properties. And again, any slight variation prevents formation of the chemistries essential for life to thrive.
However, I want to touch on one more fine-tuning observation before we move on. Recall we determined that the universe is expanding. We talked about the shift in the position of the red spectrum of light coming in from the distant stars. And that “red shift” indicates velocity and movement consistent with an expanding universe. But it turns out that the rate of expansion requires a very tight specification as well. In fact, the expansion rate must be to an accuracy of 1 in 10-55.
That is zero, point, followed by 55 zeros, followed by a one. If the expansion rate were slightly slower the universe would collapse back on itself, if the rate were greater then no galaxies would have formed. And this rate of expansion was established at what scientists’ term “the initial singularity.” It looks very much like the Designer had a specific purpose when He created the universe. In all, astrophysicists list over 35 different finely tuned constants that have a very tight tolerance range. And moment by moment the universe must stay in those tight ranges, perfectly. At the “initial singularity” that Christians call creation, each parameter had to be exactly within that tight range or there would have been no Earth, much less life.
But cosmology is not the only place we see fine-tuning. We see many examples of fine tuning in biological systems as well. Where fine tuning arguments for the existence of God from design in the cosmos are called Teleological Arguments, arguments for the existence of God based upon the fine-tuning observed in biological systems, including the origin of man, are generally called Design Arguments.
These are the things that we readily see in the world around us. Remember what Job said? “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?” (Job 12:7-10). Join us again next week as we dig deeper into what the universe tells us about the First Cause, and quite possibly help us answer the age-old question: is God dead? Gloria in excelsis Deo!
