Is our existence in need of further explanation?
Inquiry 41 (3):255 – 275 (1998)
| Abstract | Several philosophers have argued that our cosmos is either purposely created by some rational being(s), or else just one among a vast number of actually existing cosmoi. According to John Leslie and Peter van Inwagen, the existence of a cosmos containing rational beings is analogous to drawing the winning straw among millions of straws. The best explanation in the latter case, they maintain, is that the drawing was either rigged by someone, or else many such lotteries have taken place. Arnold Zuboff claims that each person is justified in concluding that her existence did not depend on a particular sperm cell first reaching the egg. If it did so depend, her existence would be extremely improbable, and an incredible coincidence for her. Similarly, intelligent life would be an incredible coincidence for us, if this were the only actual cosmos. We reject both these purported analogies. Referring to the nonheredity of 'surprise value', we conclude that an evolutionary explanation of the presence of rational beings is sufficient; there is no further need to explain the basic features of our cosmos which make intelligent life possible. This point concerning surprise value also reveals a fundamental disanalogy between straw-drawing and cosmos creation. | |||||||||
| Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) | |||||||||
| Categories | No categories specified (fix it) | |||||||||
| Options |
|
|||||||||
Download options| PhilPapers Archive |
Upload a copy of this paper Check publisher's policy on self-archival Papers currently archived: 5,709 |
| External links |
 |
| Through your library | Configure |
Similar books and articlesIddo Landau (2011). The Meaning of Life Sub Specie Aeternitatis. Australasian Journal of Philosophy 89 (4):727 - 734.
Arnold Zuboff (1990). One Self: The Logic of Experience. Inquiry 33 (1):39-68.
Tuomas E. Tahko & Donnchadh O'Conaill (2012). On the Common Sense Argument for Monism. In Philip Goff (ed.), Spinoza On Monism. Palgrave Macmillan.
Quentin Smith (1990). A Natural Explanation of the Existence and Laws of Our Universe. Australasian Journal of Philosophy 68 (1):22 – 43.
Gary Atkinson (2006). Potential Being and the Source of Cosmic Order. International Philosophical Quarterly 46 (3):345-369.
Ronald P. Smolin (2012). Adequate Wisdom: Essays on the Nature of Existence: A Layman's Observations of Life & the Cosmos. Bainbridgebooks.
Wai-hung Wong (2009). The Cosmic Lottery. International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 66 (3):155 - 165.
Brian Leftow (2003). On a Principle of Sufficient Reason. Religious Studies 39 (3):269-286.
Analytics
Monthly downloads |
Added to index2009-01-28Total downloads4 ( #178,844 of 549,715 )Recent downloads (6 months)1 ( #63,425 of 549,715 )How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
