Faculty Publications

Barrow And Tipler's Anthropic Cosmological Principle

Document Type

Article

Keywords

anthropic principle, evolutionary cosmology, natural theology

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Zygon®

Volume

23

Issue

2

First Page

139

Last Page

157

Abstract

Abstract. John D. Barrow and Frank J. Tipler's recently published Anthropic Cosmological Principle is an encyclopedic defense of melioristic evolutionary cosmology. They review the history of the idea from ancient times to the present, and defend both a “weak” version, and two “strong” versions of the anthropic principle. I argue the weak version of the anthropic principle is true and important, but that neither of the two strong versions are well grounded in fact. Their “final” anthropic principle is a revision of Teilhard de Chardin's evolutionary cosmology. They rectify Teilhard's factual errors but commit even more serious psychological and religious errors of their own. Copyright © 1988, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved

Department

Department of Philosophy and Religion

Original Publication Date

1-1-1988

DOI of published version

10.1111/j.1467-9744.1988.tb00624.x

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