Section: academia
Title: How to formulate the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God?
Author: Atle Ottesen Søvik
Institution / Affiliation: MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion, and Society
Abstract
This article argues that the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God should have the following characteristics:
- It should be clear and logically valid.
- It should contrast the God hypothesis with a chance hypothesis as opposed to a single naturalistic universe hypothesis.
- It should use the likelihood approach as opposed to ruling out alternatives.
- It should have a specific concept of God as a hypothesis as opposed to intention or design.
- It should have life-permittingness as opposed to fine-tuning as datum.
Different well-known formulations have different combinations of some of these characteristics, but I defend a new formulation, which has all the characteristics.
Published by NLA University College
In partnership with Johannelund School of Theology