On the first anthropic argument in astrobiology (Q597144): Difference between revisions

The author states that the conjecture that complex life is rare in the Galaxy (``rare Earth'' hypothesis) allows for the conclusion that the Solar system is insofar an exception as rates of impacts with other objects like comets were lower than in other planetary systems. He interprets this in the sense of the anthropic principle and cites a paragraph from Fontenelle's conservation on the plurality of the worlds to argue that this principle was already known in Newton's time. The author compares Newton's and Fontenelle's views and believes to see a tension between them which is still present today in the form of the tension between two interpretations of the anthropic fine-tunings. In this context, however, one must state that Fontenelle's passage is overinterpreted, while Newton's natural-philosophical view is even misinterpreted.