Anthropic principle

From MysteryWiki

The anthropic principle is a phrase described by Brandon Carter in 1974[1] as "the effect that what we[2] can expect to observe must be restricted by the conditions necessary for our[2] presence as observers" (291).

Notes

  1. Evidence points to Carter being the first to describe such a principle in September 1973 at a symposium in Krakow, Poland. See here.
  2. 2.0 2.1 The "we" and "our" in this quote refer to uncertain antecedent in this context and have therefore remained as is, despite the policy against first-person in modern academia.

References

  • Carr, B. J., and M. J. Rees. "The Anthropic Principle and the Structure of the Physical World." Nature 278.5705 (1979): 605-12. Print.
  • Carter, B., and W. H. McCrea. "The Anthropic Principle and Its Implications for Biological Evolution [and Discussion]." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 310.1512 (1983): 347-63. Print.
  • Carter, Brandon. "Large Number Coincidences and the Anthropic Principle in Cosmology." Confrontation of Cosmological Theories with Observational Data (1974): 291-98. Print.
  • Leslie, John. "Anthropic Principle, World Ensemble, Design." American Philosophical Quarterly 19.2 (1982): 141-51. Print.
  • McMullin, Ernan. "Indifference Principle and Anthropic Principle in Cosmology." Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 24.3 (1993): 359-89. Print.