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anthropic principle: critiques of, 13–14, 169, 172, 192, 241n.53; definition of, 13–14; and multiverse, 16–17, 151, 164, 166–67, 205, 215, 222–23; participatory, 217–18; strong, 13–14, 164, 192; weak, 13–14, 164, 192
Antonius, Marcus Aurelius, 62
argument from design, 8–14, 17, 131, 209–10; contemporary defense of, 12–14, 207–10, 296n.10, 297n.11; Hume’s critique of, 9–11, 44, 192, 197, 210, 231; Kant’s defense of, 130–31; in manufactured universe hypothesis, 195; multiverse as alternative to, 17, 169, 207–8, 214, 221–23; Paley’s articulation of, 11–12; in simulated universe hypothesis, 201–2; theological critique of, 210–11, 236. See also Lucretius; Thomas Aquinas
Aristotle, 64, 204, 227; Bruno’s critique of, 89–92, 94–96, 99–102; on cosmic eternity, 31; on cosmic finitude, 33, 90–91; on cosmic multiplicity, 35–37, 73, 227; on cosmic singularity, 19, 31–37, 111, 227; critique of Atomists by, 31–34, 41–42, 71, 111, 119; critique of Plato by, 19, 31; De Caelo, 30–34, 41, 70–72, 74–75; early modern positions on, 74–75, 107, 116; geocentrism of, 19, 32, 70, 74; Latin rediscovery of, 70–71; Lucretius’s critique of, 43, 45; Metaphysics, 34–39, 73, 100; on natural motion, 32–33, 36, 71, 95; rejection of void by, 41, 93; Scholastic reception of, 70–76, 86. See also Peripatetics; prime mover
Atomism: on accident and infinity, 17, 40–44, 48, 128, 130, 164, 164, 209; Aristotle’s critique of, 31–34, 41–42, 71, 111, 119; on atoms and void, 6, 22, 30, 40–42, 45–46, 50, 51–54, 56, 84–85, 118, 120, 227; Christian rejection of, 63–64, 68–69; in contemporary cosmology, 155, 157–58, 163, 172, 205; on cosmic destruction, 23, 41–42, 46, 48, 52, 54, 141; Descartes’s critique of, 119; on infinite universe and worlds, 3, 6, 19, 41–43, 45–46, 51–53, 103, 128, 130; Plato’s critique of, 23, 41, 248n.36; relation of, to Cusa, 79–80, 84; relation of, to Kant, 128–29, 139–41; seventeenth-century revival of, 107–10, 118–19; Stoic critique of, 53–54, 56, 68. See also Democritus; Epicureanism; Epicurus; Leucippus; Lucretius; vortex
Augustine of Hippo (saint): on “antipodes,” 108–9; critique of Epicureanism by, 68–69; critique of Stoic cosmology by, 56, 63–71, 73, 140, 221
Barad, Karen: on indeterminacy, 180; on intra-activity, 216–17, 219
Barrow, John, 295n.5; on anthropic principle, 13; on cosmic infinity, 212; critique of simulated universe by, 202
big bang, 145, 148, 150, 154, 156, 159, 181; in big-rip scenario, 174–75; and black holes, 191–93, 215; in cyclical scenarios, 67, 141, 148–50, 170–71, 171, 173; in eternal inflation, 160–61; in no-boundary proposal, 182. See also big bang hypothesis
big bang hypothesis, 14–15, 19, 141, 211; early formulations of, 145–60; resemblance of, to creation theology, 146–50, 232–33; shortcomings of, 154–56; standard model of, 150–54. See also big bang; inflation
big crunch: in big bang cosmology, 15, 67, 125, 148–49, 151, 176, 186, 191, 279n.34; in cosmology of Kant, 140–41; in cosmology of Newton, 125
Borges, Jorge Luis, 70, 81, 94
Bruno, Giordano, 19, 86, 115; Christology of, 89, 97–99, 104; creation theology of, 95, 102, 131; critique of Aristotle by, 89–92, 94–96, 99–102; deconstruction of gender by, 99–102; distinction of, from Cusa, 88–89, 93–97, 102; on eternity of universe, 96, 102, 139; execution of, 88, 104–5, 113, 152, 208–9; on infinite universe and worlds, 90–96, 102–5, 113, 119, 131, 140, 157, 161, 221; on multiplicity, 99, 103–4, 189, 227–28; theory of matter of, 99–102, 105; on unity, 103–4, 227–28; on void, 93–95
Caesar Augustus (emperor of Rome), 56, 59
Carroll, Sean: on arrow of time, 184–85; on dark energy, 15; on Many-Worlds Interpretation, 180, 215
chaos, 4–5, 24–25, 44, 100–101, 125, 142, 202; in big bang cosmology, 150; Descartes on, 119–20; Kant on, 128–31, 139–41; Lucretius on, 46–52; as multiverse bath, 184; pre-Socratic conceptions of, 21–22, 55; quantum, 175, 184–86; relation of, to cosmos, 19, 21, 24–26, 28–30, 46–47, 51, 184–86, 236; thermodynamic, 184–86; in Timaeus, 24, 25–29, 32, 46–47. See also entropy
Christ: as cosmos, 97–99; divinity of, 89, 97, 104; incarnation of, 97–98, 109; singularity of, 66–67, 109, 268n.26; as teacher, 208. See also Jesus of Nazareth
Christmas Toy, The (film), 178
Cicero, Marcus Tullius, 55, 68
Clement (and Pseudo-Clement), 69
collision, of worlds, 125; Democritus on, 22–23, 31, 41–42, 53, 84, 95, 162, 227; in ekpyrotic scenario, 169–74, 219; in inflationary cosmology, 162–63, 226
Columbus, Christopher, 109
conformal cyclic cosmology, 176
Copernicus, Nicolaus, 37, 76, 88–93, 95, 106–7, 110, 113, 183; universe of, 38, 91, 92. See also Copernican Revolution; heliocentrism
Cornford, Francis, 24, 28
Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), 144, 225, 233; discovery of, 147–48, 155, 231–32; evidence of other universes on, 163, 176, 184, 188–90, 226; formation of, 147, 150; homogeneity of, 155, 171, 173, 212; inhomogeneities on, 155, 168, 172–73, 188, 190. See also flatness: problem of; horizon (homogeneity) problem
cosmogony: and big bang hypothesis, 145–50, 156; and black holes, 191–95; of Bruno, 102; of Descartes, 116–21; of Eliade, 55–56; Epicurean, 44, 46–52; of Kant, 127–33, 137–41; modern resistance to, 145–50; from multiverse bath, 186–89; in multiverse scenarios, 219–21; of Newton, 123–26, 129; of Plato, 22–32, 41, 46–47, 117; pre-Socratic, 21–22; Stoic, 56–60
cosmological constant (lambda), 15, 174; Einstein’s theory of, 145, 156, 175; problem of, 15–16, 165, 167, 214, 222–23; value(s) of, 15–16, 150–51, 160–62, 164, 186, 192, 207, 222, 225. See also dark energy; phantom (dark) energy; quintessence
cosmos: of Aristotle, 19, 30–32, 35–39, 71, 76, 79, 82, 89, 111, 212; of Bruno, 94–95; in contemporary usage, 1, 15, 67–68, 143, 145, 149–50, 153, 170, 181, 186, 191–93, 215; Copernican, 90; of Cusa, 84, 86–88, 95, 189; of Descartes, 118, 120–21, 126; Epicurean, 40–43, 45–49, 51–53, 93; etymology of, 18; holographic, 70; of Kepler, 111–13; in natural theology, 10, 12; of Newton, 125–26; of Plato, 18, 23–24, 27–28, 31, 46, 57, 95–96, 204, 227, 235; pre-Socratic, 21–22, 55; relation of, to chaos, 19, 21, 24–26, 28–30, 46–47, 51, 184–86, 236; Scholastic, 73–74, 86–88, 208; simulated, 196–203; Stoic, 54–56, 58–60, 63. See also finitude, cosmic; singularity; universe; world
Craig, William Lane, on anthropic principle, 13
creatio ex nihilo, 102, 118, 202; Augustine on, 64; in big bang cosmology, 146–49, 154; church fathers on, 40, 47, 147; in ekpyrotic scenario, 170–71; in inflationary cosmology, 159; in neo-Atomism, 107; Origen on, 63, preemptive critiques of, 47–48, 52–53, 56; in Scholasticism, 75
cyclic cosmology, 6, 206; as alternative to inflation, 169–76, 181–82; Augustine’s rejection of, 63–68; biblical evidence for and against, 62–63, 66–68, 256n.114; in big bang cosmology, 67, 148–50, 184, 191; and black-hole scenario, 192; conformal, 176, 226; Kant on, 139–40; Nietzsche on, 60–62; Origen on, 62–66; Plato on, 64; Stoic, 55–60, 126. See also ekpyrosis; ekpyrotic scenario; eternal return; repetition, cosmic; Stoicism
dark energy, 15, 150; amount of, in universe, 151, 157, 174; and anthropic principle, 16–17, 164, 169, 221; and big rip, 174–75; in cosmological slingshot model, 176; discovery of, 14–16, 19, 152–53, 164; in ekpyrotic scenario, 170–73, 215; and end of the world, 150–51, 153, 174–76; miscalculation of, 15, 152; relation of, to multiverse, 16–17, 153–54, 164–65, 221; role of, in big bang hypothesis, 150, 153, 185, 176. See also big whimper; cosmological constant; phantom (dark) energy; quintessence
Davies, Paul: critique of multiverse by, 6, 177, 200, 202, 205, 214, 221–22, 296n.5; on fine-tunings, 12–13
deceleration parameter, 15
delayed-choice experiment, 217–19
demiurge: of Descartes, 117–19; of manufactured and simulated universes, 194–95, 200–202, 206, 212, 293n.87; of Plato, 22–27, 30–31, 47, 56–58, 118, 204
Democritus: on atoms and void, 40–41; on cosmic destruction, 22–23, 31, 41–42, 53, 84, 95, 162, 227; cosmogony of, 48–49; on infinite universe and worlds, 42, 53, 64, 73–74, 89, 113
Descartes, René: against plurality of worlds, 115, 119, 121, 227; cosmogony of, 116–21; critique of Atomists by, 119; epistemology of, 198–200; on evil deceiver, 199–200; on heliocentrism, 116, 152; on “indefinite,” 116–19, 121, 131; on infinity, 115–19; as pluralist hero, 115, 121, 123; on role of God, 117–20, 126, 145, 155, 160; vortex cosmology of, 19, 115–16, 120–21, 122, 123, 127, 129
earth: in Bible, 47, 62, 66–68, 102, 210, 241n.43; as cosmic center, 32–33, 33, 36, 76, 78, 82, 87–89, 96, 111, 133, 152, 183; as divine, 21, 58; as element, 21, 24, 29, 32–33, 43, 46–50, 54, 58, 71, 75, 95–96, 186, 200; as planet, 1, 89–90, 94–95, 99, 103, 106–7, 109, 115–16, 118, 121, 198, 212, 218, 223; as “star,” 78–79, 82, 84–86, 135, 155; as world, 10, 43, 54, 62, 66–68, 78–79, 82, 84–86, 99, 108–10, 135, 179. See also geocentrism; heliocentrism; world
Ecclesiastes (book of Bible), 62, 66
Eckhart von Hochheim (Meister Eckhart), 81
Einstein, Albert: on cosmic eternity, 143, 146, 232; on cosmic singularity, 19, 39, 133, 143; on cosmological constant, 144–45, 150, 156, 175; on motion, 78, 163; theory of space-time of, 39, 123, 125, 143–44, 190. See also general relativity; special relativity
ekpyrosis: Augustine’s critique of, 56, 63–71, 73, 140, 221; Kant on, 139–41; relation of, to ekpyrotic scenario, 169, 172; Roman rejection of, 55–56, 62, 68; Stoic conceptions of, 6, 22, 54–60, 111, 227. See also ekpyrotic scenario
ekpyrotic scenario, 169–74, 210; and B-modes, 173–74; objections to, 173–74; pantheism of, 172, 215; relation of, to Hindu cosmology, 170; relation of, to Stoic ekpyrosis, 169, 172; role of dark energy in, 172, 215; role of gravity in, 170, 173–74. See also ekpyrosis
elements, 109; Aristotle on, 32, 36, 71, 75–76, 96; in big bang hypothesis, 146; Bruno on, 94–96; Cusa on, 84, 94; Descartes on, 121; Kant on, 128–29, 131, 140; Lucretius on, 43–44, 48–49, 128; and natural theology, 12; Plato on, 23, 25, 27–29, 96; pre-Socratic theories of, 21–22, 40, 55. See also earth: as element
entanglement: in Atomist cosmology, 40, 45, 49–50, 52; in multiverse cosmologies, 20, 74, 186–90; Nietzsche on, 61–62, 228; of physics and metaphysics, 232, 234, 236; quantum, 216, 219, 226–27
Epicureanism: Christianization of, 107, 113; demonization of, 68–69, 128, 208, 251n.13; Kant on, 128–29, 133, 140; retrievals of, 71, 79, 111, 126, 258n.153; rivalry of, with Platonism, 27; rivalry of, with Stoicism, 53–54, 68. See also Atomism; Epicurus; Lucretius
Epicurus: on cosmic destruction, 42, 53, 84, 162; cosmogony of, 47–48, 56, 107, 128, 227; critique of Plato by, 41–43; as a god, 51, 93, 130; on the gods, 43, 51, 58, 130; on infinite universe and worlds, 42–43, 45, 53–54, 63–64, 79, 84, 93, 95, 113, 157, 165. See also Atomism; Epicureanism; Lucretius; repetition, cosmic
eternal inflation, 153–54, 159–63; alternatives to, 168–76, 181–83, 185–90; and infinite number of universes, 5–7, 16, 160–64, 167–69; and inflationary (Level II) multiverse, 156, 161–63, 185, 205, 213, 224; and manufactured universes, 193–95; objections to, 164, 168–69, 181–83, 185–86; relation of, to Atomism, 155, 157–58, 163, 172; relation of, to string theory landscape, 165–67, 184, 214; and simulated universes, 202–3
extraterrestrial life: Cusa on, 78–79, 84, 94; Kant on, 140; Lucretius on, 46; in seventeenth-century philosophy, 107–13, 115, 121
faith: in cosmological principle, 212; in God, 4, 11, 116, 130; in infinite universe, 104, 212, 220; in multiple universes, 17, 104, 212, 220; relation of, to reason, 148; as teaching, 66, 208; in truth, 230; in unity of wave function, 215–17, 220
Family Guy (television show), 1–2, 177
fine-tuning, 8, 13–14, 165, 225; and cosmological constant, 14, 151; and entropy, 184; of multiverse, 210; multiverse as solution to, 1, 17, 154–56, 167, 169, 214, 221–23; Plato on, 204; simulation as solution to, 195; and string theory, 165, 214. See also argument from design
finitude, cosmic: Aristotle on, 33–34, 90–91; in contemporary cosmologies, 206, 212, 233; in early modernity, 110–13, 125; as perspectival, 163, 233; Plato on, 23; in Stoicism, 54, 111
fixed stars: in geocentric model, 32, 33, 37, 76, 95; in heliocentric models, 37–38, 38, 90, 92–93, 110–11, 113, 125; as suns, 111–12, 132–33
Frederick the Great (king of Prussia), 127
free will: in cyclic cosmology, 61, 63; of God, 98; in Many-Worlds Interpretation, 216–17; and problem of evil, 11
galaxies: collision of, 176; in delayed-choice experiment, 217–18; distance of, from the earth, 15, 233; and finite universe, 212; formation of, 150, 155–56, 172, 185, 188, 203; Hubble’s discovery of, 133, 135, 143, 145; Kant on, 133–36, 138–40; number of, 142–43, 144, 146, 152, 176, 179, 222; recession of, 143–45, 149–50, 153, 211; as worlds, 132–33, 135, 143. See also Milky Way; nebular hypothesis
Galilei, Galileo, 19, 38, 123, 208; Campanella’s defense of, 109; condemnation of, 88, 107, 113, 116, 152, 222; observational discoveries by, 106–7, 111–12, 135, 222. See also heliocentrism
general relativity: Einstein’s theory of, 67, 123, 143–44, 190, 221; incompatibility of, with quantum mechanics, 165, 213; Leibniz’s prefiguration of, 123
geocentrism, 183; of Aristotle and Ptolemy, 19, 32–33, 33, 36–37, 76, 107, 111, 133; Cusa on, 78–82, 87–88; opposition to, 38–39, 78–82, 88–90, 92–93, 96, 107, 152
Gleiser, Marcelo: on dark energy, 152; on “monotheistic” science, 231
God: benevolence of, 9, 11, 17, 24, 26, 98, 131; in big bang cosmologies, 147–48, 211; as creator of multiverse, 17, 209–10; in eighteenth-century cosmologies, 117–20, 126, 145, 155, 160; eternity of, 62–64, 67, 102; as evil deceiver, 211–13; gender of, 11, 98–99, 102; in Genesis, 47, 193, 206; immanence of, 58, 63, 83, 95, 101; incorporeality of, 63, 148; infinity of, 71–72, 80–81, 83, 102, 112, 131, 138; as intelligent designer, 8–14, 42, 44, 130–31, 195, 202, 207–12, 236; omnipotence of, 9, 11, 17, 71–72, 74–75, 98, 107, 113, 135, 140, 195, 202; Pascal on, 201, 210; redundancy of, 11, 17, 43–44, 48, 51–52, 130–31, 164, 207, 214, 233–34; singularity of, 11, 35–36, 66, 71–74, 76, 83, 113, 147; sovereignty of, 24, 31, 47, 51–52, 58, 64, 71–72, 110; in Stoic cosmology, 56–58, 62–63; transcendence of, 11, 17, 58, 63, 72, 82–83, 87, 101, 124, 193, 236; triunity of, 73–74, 85–87, 89, 98, 112–13, 228. See also argument from design; demiurge; gods; Hera; pantheism; prime mover; Venus: goddess; Zeus
gods, 21, 23, 26, 37, 52, 89; in Epicurean cosmology, 41, 43–44, 48, 51, 54, 58, 80, 131; in manufactured universes, 177, 193–95, 212, 220; in simulated universes, 177, 200–202, 212, 220; in Stoic cosmology, 54, 58. See also demiurge; God; Hera; prime mover; Venus: goddess; Zeus
gravity: as attractive, 15–16, 123–26, 128–29, 133, 137–38, 140, 145, 148, 175, 218; Einstein’s theory of, 144–45; incompatibility of, with quantum mechanics, 165, 213; loop quantum, 175; as repulsive, 160, 175, 186; role of, in big bang hypothesis, 148, 150–51, 156, 160, 173–74, 176, 185, 225; role of, in ekpyrotic scenario, 170, 173–74; strength of, 7–8, 16, 151, 165; Universal Law of, 123–24, 127, 144. See also B-modes; general relativity
Greene, Brian, 1; on complementarity, 177–78; on dark energy, 153; on infinity of universe, 157; on inflation, 154–55; on manufacturing universes, 194, 196; on Many-Worlds Interpretation, 216; on Mathematical Universe Hypothesis, 6, 205; on measure problem, 167; on multiverse, 2, 219–20, 224; on simulating universes, 198, 200, 220; on types of multiverse, 159, 161
Gribbin, John: on cyclic cosmologies, 149, 192; on ekpyrotic scenario, 173; on eternal inflation, 162; on simulated universes, 195
Guth, Alan: on anthropic multiverse, 2, 222–23; on black holes, 194; on string theory landscape, 165, 167; theory of inflation of, 7, 154, 156, 159–60, 164, 193, 202
Harrison, Edward: on manufacturing universes, 193–95; on simulating universes, 202–3
Hawking, Stephen, 3; on anthropic multiverse, 17; on inflation, 156; model-dependent realism of, 183; no-boundary proposal of, 166, 181–85, 193; on observability, 164, 182–83; theory of black holes of, 194. See also Mlodinow, Leonard
heliocentrism, 37–38, 38, 76, 89–90, 91, 92, 92–95, 103, 106–8, 110, 113, 115, 183; condemnation of, 88, 107, 113, 116, 152, 222, 268n.26; Descartes on, 116, 124, 130–31; Kant on, 132–33, 142
Hera (Greek goddess), 57–58
hierarchy, cosmic: coinage of, 295n.126; destruction of, by Bruno, 94, 96; destruction of, by Cusa, 82–83, 86; Great Chain of Being as, 72, 76, 82, 140, 205; of multiverses, 5, 177, 205, 212, 215, 233
infinity: absolute versus contracted, 80, 83–84, 96–97, 113, 116, 163; and accident, 17, 41–42, 44, 130–31; and big bang singularity, 146–48; causal, 10, 72–73; as cosmic expanse, 33, 39, 41–46, 48, 51, 53–54, 79–80, 84, 90, 92–94, 96–99, 102, 106–8, 110–14, 118–19, 125–26, 128, 131–32, 135–41, 153, 156–58, 163, 178, 206, 210, 212–13, 221; of God, 70, 72, 83, 97–99, 107, 114, 131, 147–48, 163, 208; indivisibility of, 104, 119, 137–38; infinite versus indefinite, 116–19, 121, 131; of multiverse(s), 175, 177; negative versus privative, 80, 96, 117; as number of universes, 1–2, 5–7, 16–17, 154, 160–61, 164, 167–68, 173–74, 177, 203, 207–8, 211, 213, 221–25, 228; as number of worlds, v, 6–7, 19, 22–23, 30–31, 41–45, 52–54, 56, 64, 68, 70, 72–73, 83, 93–96, 98–99, 102–3, 106, 108, 110–12, 114–15, 128, 130, 136, 138–39, 157–58, 221; as perspectival, 82, 84, 163; temporal, 10, 44, 53, 60, 64–65, 68, 73, 149, 172, 176, 181, 207, 225, 235; within world, 9, 70, 102, 110. See also cosmological principle; Hilbert Space; infinite sphere; measure problem; principle of plenitude
inflation, 2, 7, 16, 170–74, 185, 189, 194–95, 210, 226, 233; and B-modes, 173–74, 224–25; critiques of, 164, 168–69, 174–76, 181–82, 185, 188, 193; and infinite universe, 160–63, 213–14; relation of, to multiverse(s), 160–63, 161, 162, 184, 186, 188, 203, 205, 213, 224; relation of, to string theory landscape, 165–67, 184, 214; theory of, 156–63, 213–14. See also eternal inflation
James, William: coinage of word multiverse by, 3–5, 85, 189–90; on monism, 4, 18, 227; on pluralism, 4–5, 85, 133, 190, 227; on typology, 46
Kant, Immanuel, 19, 142; on cosmic unity, 137–38, 227; cosmogony of, 128, 129–30, 131–33, 136–41; on infinite universe and worlds, v, 135–36, 138–39; nebular hypothesis of, 133, 135, 143; on noumena and phenomena, 128; on “phoenix of nature,” 139–41; relation of, to Epicureans, 128–30, 139–41; relation of, to Newtonian physics, 126–27, 129, 132, 137, 141; on repulsive force, 129, 132–33, 145, 156, 175; retreat of, from infinity, 136–38; teleological proof, 130–31; theory of galaxies of, 132–35, 143, 222; vortices of, 129–30. See also swerve
Kashlinsky, Alexander, 188
Kepler, Johannes, 93; against infinity, 38, 111–12, 115; on extraterrestrial life, 110, 112; laws of planetary motion of, 38, 110, 123, 132; and scientific restraint, 19, 110–14, 208; on Trinity, 112–13
Kragh, Helge: on loop quantum gravity, 175; on Mathematical Universe Hypothesis, 205; on multiverse hypotheses, 3, 223–24; on scientific speculation, 220, 223–24; on string theory landscape, 165
Krauss, Lawrence: on anthropic multiverse, 17; on dark energy, 151–53
landscape, of string theory, 166, 166–68, 205, 220, 225–26, 233; in connected-multiverse scenario, 186–89, 187; in no-boundary proposal, 182; relation of, to eternal inflation, 165–67, 184, 214; relation of, to Many-Worlds Interpretation, 183–84, 186. See also measure problem
Large Hadron Collider, 194
Lawson-Tancred, Hugh, 35–36
Leibniz, Gottfried: debate of, with Clarke and Newton, 123, 126, 137, 140; on possible worlds, 6; on relative space and time, 123, 125, 144
Linde, Andrei: on anthropic principle, 13, 221–22; critique of ekpyrotic scenario by, 173; on eternal inflation, 7, 160, 161, 164; on fine-tunings, 8, 221; on horizon problem, 155; on string theory landscape, 165–67
loop quantum gravity, 175
Lucretius, 55, 75, 119; against ex nihilo, 40, 47–48; cosmogonies of, 46–51, 128–29; critique of argument from design by, 43–44; critique of Aristotle by, 43, 45–46; critique of Plato by, 43, 45–46; on infinite universe, 45, 48, 79, 137, 212; on multiple worlds, 45–46, 53, 131, 157, 205, 227; rediscoveries of, 79–80, 107, 130, 139–40, 258n.153; on religion, 43–44, 52, 130, 164; retrieval of, by Bruno, 93. See also Atomism; Epicureanism; Epicurus; swerve
Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI), 6–7, 177–81, 183, 225, 289n.6; critique of, 216, 219; as critique of Copenhagen Interpretation, 179–82, 215–16; as Level III multiverse, 178–79, 205; popular representations of, 2, 6, 117; relation of, to connected multiverse, 186; relation of, to quilted multiverse, 178–79; relation of, to string theory landscape, 184, 186
Mathematical Universe Hypothesis (Level IV multiverse), 6, 203–6, 219–20, 228
Maupertius, Pierre-Louis Moreau de, 135
metaphysics: as account of what is, 3, 183, 205, 209, 214–16, 224–28; as beyond the physical, 210, 214–15, 220, 225–28; and physics, 18, 124, 164, 168, 178, 224–28, 232–34, 236
Mlodinow, Leonard: on anthropic multiverse, 17; on inflation, 156; model-dependent realism of, 183
model-dependent realism, 183–84
Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin), 155
multiplicity: cosmic, 1–3, 18–19, 36–38, 45, 52, 62, 69, 72–75, 114, 156, 224, 226–27, 234–36; definition of, 26, 37, 52–53, 62, 73–74, 104, 228, 244n.86; divine, 37, 58, 73–74, 85, 99, 228; quantum, 178, 181; spatial, 19, 36–37, 41, 43, 45, 52–53, 64, 108, 165; spatiotemporal, 80, 97, 99, 174–75; temporal, 19, 53, 63–64; versus plurality, 18–20, 30, 52, 228. See also cyclic cosmology; multiverse; plurality of worlds
multiverse: absence of, in modernity, 39, 151; and anthropic principle, 16–17, 151, 164, 166–67, 205, 215, 222–23; bath, 186–90, 226; and dark energy, 16–17, 153–54, 164–65, 221; definitions of, 3–6, 85, 167, 190; evidence of, 163, 176, 187–90, 221, 224–26; levels of, 156, 159, 161–62, 205–6; as multimodal, 103–4, 161; as perspectival, 19, 84–88; popular representations of, 1–2, 157, 177; scientific critiques of, 168–76, 200, 202–3, 208–9, 211–12, 220–24; as scientific hypothesis, 1–3, 7, 20, 39, 153–54, 157–58, 161, 167, 170–71, 179, 184, 187–90, 193, 209, 213, 220–24, 227–28, 232–35; as solution to fine-tuning problem, 1, 7–8, 16–17, 169, 207–8, 214, 221–23, 233; theistic affirmation of, 209–10; theological critique of, 207–8, 211–12, 236; as theological postulate, 17–18, 210–20, 226. See also Atomism; Bruno, Giordano; connected multiverse; cyclic cosmology; ekpyrotic scenario; eternal inflation; landscape, of string theory; manufactured universe; Many-Worlds Interpretation; Mathematical Universe Hypothesis; modal multiverse; multiplicity; Nicholas of Cusa; plurality of worlds; quilted multiverse; simulated universe; Smolin, Lee; Stoicism; Tegmark, Max; universe
Nehemas, Alexander, 60–61
Newton, Isaac, 19; on “absolute” space and time, 39, 123, 125, 144, 205, 271n.80; on cosmic infinity, 125–26, 132; cosmogony of, 123–26, 129; debate of, with Leibniz, 123, 126, 137, 140; as interpreted by Kant, 126–27, 129, 132–33, 137, 141; Law of Universal Gravitation of, 123–24, 127, 144; letters of, to Bentley, 124–26; on planetary orbits, 223; on role of God, 124–26, 129–30, 145, 155, 160
Nicholas of Cusa, 209, 227; on absolute versus contracted infinity, 70, 80, 83–84, 96–97, 113, 116, 163; on boundless universe, 19, 76, 78–81, 111, 113, 137, 157; charges of pantheism against, 86–87; Christology of, 97; on configuration of worlds, 84–85, 87–88, 94–96, 108; on creatio ex nihilo, 87, 102; destruction of geocentrism by, 76, 78–82, 89, 111; distinction of, from Bruno, 88–89, 93–97, 102; on extraterrestrial life, 79, 108; holography of, 83–85, 119; on infinite sphere, 81–82, 87; and learned ignorance, 87, 117; panentheism of, 82–83, 102, 113; perspectivalism of, 83–85, 88, 93–94, 103, 159, 161, 189; on posse fieri, 87–88, 97; relation of, to Atomism, 79–80, 84
Nietzsche, Friedrich: on asceticism of modern science, 229–32; on eternal return, 60–61, 65, 172; on self-overcoming of Christianity, 234
Northumberland Circle, 107
pantheism: and anthropic principle, 13; and Cusa, 86–87; and ekpyrotic scenario, 172, 215; and James, 4; and Stoic cosmology, 22, 56, 58, 62
Penrose, Roger: on arrow of time, 185; conformal cyclic cosmology of, 176, 226
perfect living creature. See Timaeus
Peter Chrysologus (saint), 69
Plato, 18–19, 59, 172, 209, 227; allegory of cave of, 203; Aristotle’s critique of, 19, 31; cosmogony of, 21–31, 43, 47, 54, 56, 58, 94, 117, 227; cosmology of, 64, 95, 139, 152; critique of Atomists by, 23, 41, 248n.36; on Forms, 23, 29–30, 100–101, 203–5, 219; Lucretius’s critique of, 43, 45–46; against plurality of worlds, 23, 37, 39, 41, 46, 52, 66, 70, 72; Republic, 21, 25, 203. See also singularity: as cosmic uniqueness; Timaeus
plurality of worlds, 63–64; Aquinas on, 71–72, 74, 83; Aristotle on, 36–37; Atomists on, 40, 46, 71, 75, 107; Bruno on, 103; Cusa on, 83–85; late Scholastic, 71, 75, 98; Plato on, 23, 30, 227; in seventeenth century, 107–8, 110, 113–15, 119, 121, 132, 208–9. See also multiverse
possible worlds, 6–7, 11, 164–65, 173, 181–83, 186, 192, 204–6, 215–16, 220, 222, 224–25, 228
Protestant Reformation, 87
quintessence: Aristotle on, 76; as form of dark energy, 151, 174–75
Schönborn, Christoph (cardinal), 207–9, 222
Second Life (computer game), 196
Serres, Michel, 142; on Kant, 273n.102, 274n.107; on Lucretius, 48–51, 128; on multiplicity, 228; on Timaeus, 26, 30, 57, 227
Sim City (computer game), 196
simulated universe: critique of, 200, 202; ethics of, 201; as hypothesis, 196–98, 200, 202–3, 206, 220, 225; relation of, to Descartes, 200; theology of, 201–2, 212, 233
singularity: in big bang cosmology, 146–49, 170, 175, 191, 213, 215; and black holes, 191, 215; as cosmic uniqueness, 18–19, 23–26, 30–31, 34–35, 37–39, 41, 43, 51–52, 54, 71, 73–76, 111–12, 204, 208, 227; divine, 35–37, 58, 64, 66, 71–73, 76, 83; of human subject, 66; in posthumanism, 196–97; relation of, to plurality/multiplicity, 18, 20, 24, 26, 37, 43, 58, 62, 74, 227, 228; of truth, 231
solar system, 90, 107, 110, 113, 115, 121, 124, 130, 132–33, 152, 233
soul: of cosmic bodies, 95, 103; of humans, 63–66, 73, 87, 100, 140, 207, 220; of universe, 24–27, 56, 103–4
sovereignty: divine, 24, 31, 47, 51–52, 58, 64, 71–72, 110, 217; human, 52, 55–56, 64, 110
special relativity, 78, 163
Steinhardt, Paul: critique of eternal inflation by, 154, 168–69, 214, 221–22; critique of ex nihilo by, 118; on ekpyrotic scenario, 169–74, 215; theory of inflation of, 7, 168. See also ekpyrotic scenario
Stoicism, 205, 227; Augustine’s critique of, 56, 63–71, 73, 140, 221; cosmogony of, 56–58, 119; critique of atoms and void by, 54; critique of Plato by, 27, 54; and cyclic cosmology, 6, 19, 22, 53–56, 58–60, 62–69, 79, 95, 126, 140, 169; in ekpyrotic scenario, 169, 172, 174; ethics of, 61; foundation of, 53; Greek versus Roman, 55–56, 58, 62; monism of, 104, 111; pantheism of, 22, 56–58, 62–63; pneuma and hyle of, 56, 57, 103, 172, 227; rivalry of, with Epicureanism, 53–54. See also Chrysippus of Soli; ekpyrosis; Zeno of Citium
string theory, 2, 19, 165, 184, 220; alternatives to, 175–76; branes in, 165, 169, 171–73, 176, 215, 220, 225, 233, 287n.152; in ekpyrotic scenario, 169; and fine-tuning problem, 165–67, 228; objections to, 213–15; vacua in, 16–17, 165–68, 182–83, 184, 186, 188, 203, 213, 224–25. See also cosmological slingshot; landscape, of string theory; measure problem; M-theory
Tegmark, Max: against multiverse critics, 221, 226; on cosmic doppelgangers, 158–59; hierarchy of multiverses of, 156, 159, 178–79, 205, 212–13, 215; Mathematical Universe Hypothesis of, 6–7, 203–6, 219–20, 228; relation of, to Platonism, 203–5
Thales of Miletus, 21, 205
theory of everything, 165, 231
Thomas Aquinas (saint), 140; on cosmic singularity, 19, 70–74, 83, 227; cosmological argument of, 72, 86; on multiplicity, 73, 227; teleological argument of, 8, 209; theories of infinity of, 72–73, 80–81, 110, 117
Timaeus (Plato), 203; and chaos, 24, 25–29, 32, 46–47; and cosmic eternity, 18, 23–24, 27–28, 31, 41, 72, 95–96, 139, 140; and cosmic multiplicity, 18, 25–26, 29–30, 37, 51, 57, 96, 227; and cosmic singularity, 18, 23–26, 30–31, 34, 41, 51, 72, 74, 227; cosmogony of, 21–32, 41, 46–47, 56, 117–18; demiurge in, 22–27, 30–31, 47, 56–58, 118, 204; perfect living creature in, 22–23, 30, 80, 204; two beginnings of, 26–27, 46–47. See also khôra; Plato
universe: age of, 15, 150, 156, 159, 181; as bio-friendly, 8, 12–14, 16–18, 41, 173, 210, 218, 222–23; birth of, from multiverse, 185–90; in black holes, 190–96, 215; as braneworld, 169–73, 175–76, 215, 220, 225, 287n.152; composition of, 32–33, 33, 48, 56–57, 62, 67, 85, 87, 107, 112, 125, 127, 131–32, 139, 150–52; definitions of, 1, 3–5, 18, 20, 45, 79, 136, 143, 152, 190; as designed or undesigned, 9–14, 17, 43, 47, 51–52, 56, 116, 123–24, 145, 193–203, 206, 210, 214, 220, 236; distinction of, from world, 43, 45, 54, 84–85, 93, 102, 252n.31; end of, 151, 153, 162–63, 173–74, 226; entanglement of, 20, 74, 186–90, 228–29; eternity of, 31, 39, 142–44, 146–47, 227; expansion of, 15, 143–45, 153, 175; as expression of God, 80–83, 86, 96–99, 113, 210; finitude of, 110, 113, 157, 163, 212–13, 225; as God, 22, 56, 58, 62; heliocentric model of, 37–38, 38, 89–90, 91, 92; as hierarchical or homogeneous, 76, 77, 94; as holographic, 82–83, 94, 103–4, 119; infinite expanse of, 39, 45–46, 76, 78–82, 84, 86, 91–94, 96–99, 102–3, 111, 125–26, 128, 131, 135, 137–38, 157, 163, 212–13, 222; infinite number of, 2, 16, 151, 156, 160–61, 164, 207, 213–14, 222–24; in Many-Worlds Interpretation, 6, 178–81, 216; as mathematical, 204–6, 219–20; as multimodal, 103–4, 161; in no-boundary proposal, 181–83; origins of, 146–50, 154, 156, 160, 181–82, 185–90, 226, 232; participatory, 217–19; as perspectival, 19, 84–88, 231–33, 235; primordial state of, 22, 28; as quantum fluctuation, 160; shape of, 154–56, 173, 212–13, 282n.70; singularity of, 23, 30–31, 34–35, 103–4, 111, 142–43, 172, 215, 227; spatial plurality of, 6, 20, 156, 159–61, 207; temporal plurality of, 6, 22, 54–55, 58–59, 67, 111, 140, 148–50, 169–76, 207, 215; types of, 17, 165–68, 205–6, 225, 286n.123; uniformity of, 46, 155; as unknowable, 81, 117, 213, 216; vastness of, 107, 109, 115, 121; visible, 7, 15, 157–59, 208–9, 213; wave function of, 180. See also big bang; big crunch; big whimper; cosmogony; eternal inflation; Hubble volume; inflation; manufactured universe; Mathematical Universe Hypothesis; multiverse; simulated universe; world
vacuum: in black-hole scenario, 193; Bruno on, 93–94; energy of, 15–16; false, 160; fluctuations of, 156, 159–60, 168, 172, 176, 210; in loop quantum gravity, 175; quantum, 15, 159; solutions, 16–17, 165–67, 169, 214; true, 160, 210. See also void
Very Large Array Telescope, 188
void: Aristotle’s critique of, 41, 93; Atomist theory of, 6, 22, 30–31, 40–41, 45–46, 50–54, 56, 84–85, 118, 120, 227; Bruno’s reconfiguration of, 93–95; on cosmic microwave background, 187–88, 190, 226; Cusa’s rejection of, 85; and dark energy, 150–51, 153, 170, 174; Descartes’s critique of, 118–20; in eternal inflation, 161, 168, 210; Kant on, 128–29; Kepler on, 111; in nineteenth-century cosmology, 143; in steady-state theory, 147; Stoic critique of, 58–59, 61. See also vacuum
vortex: Atomist, 40, 48–51, 80, 120; and black holes, 191; of Descartes, 19, 115–16, 120–21, 122, 123, 127, 129; of Kant, 129
wave function: in Copenhagen Interpretation, 178; as deity, 216–17; in Many-Worlds Interpretation, 6, 178–80, 186, 210, 233; of universe, 180
Weinberg, Steven: on anthropic multiverse, 16, 222–23; on big bang, 142, 146, 154; on cyclic cosmology, 149; on string theory landscape, 166, 225
Wheeler, John: coinage of term black hole by, 190; on participatory universe, 217–18
Wilkinson Microwave Anistrophe Probe, 168, 232
world: center of, 33, 36, 76, 78–79, 90, 94–95, 107, 137, 210–11; composition of, 32, 40, 56, 58, 71, 96; destruction of, 22–23, 31–32, 41, 42, 54–56, 58–59, 64, 139–40, 145, 150–51, 154, 162, 170–71, 192; distinction of, from universe, 43, 45, 54, 84–85, 93, 102, 252n.31; as the earth, 9–11, 43, 54, 62, 65–68, 78–79, 82, 84–86, 99, 108–10, 135, 143, 179; eternity of, 19, 21, 24, 31, 34–36, 64, 67, 71, 143, 147; fine-tuning of, 13, 16, 43–44, 164, 207; finitude of, 38, 54, 68, 112; formation of, 10, 19, 21–25, 26–31, 42, 47–50, 53, 57–59, 62, 116–21, 126, 128–29, 146–48, 184–98, 202–3, 225, 227, 231, 233; as galaxy, 132–33, 135, 143; infinite number of, 6–7, 19, 22, 31, 41, 51, 54, 71–73, 93–95, 98–99, 102, 106, 110–14, 121, 126, 128, 130, 135–36, 154, 157, 161, 163, 195, 207–8, 221–22, 224; as infinite sphere, 81–82; invisible, 4–5, 7, 19, 158, 161–62, 170, 214, 210; in Many-Worlds Interpretation, 2, 6, 17, 177–83, 215–16; as material realm, 21, 203–4, 229, 234; as mathematically possible, 6–7, 204–6, 229; multiplicity of, 1–5, 18–20, 26, 29–30, 37, 53, 57, 62, 69–70, 73–75, 79, 85–86, 103–4, 165, 226–28, 235–36; as perspectival, 78–79, 81–86, 189, 219, 228; as planet, 106–8; repetition of, 42, 59–63, 157–58; singularity of, 4, 18–19, 21, 24, 26, 31–34, 51–52, 54, 70, 72–76, 85, 88, 103–4, 107, 111–15, 119, 121, 143, 172–73, 204, 227–28; as solar system, v, 95, 131–32, 135; spatial plurality of, 6–7, 36–37, 40–41, 45–46, 53, 68, 80; temporal plurality of, 6, 53–60, 62–66, 68, 138–40, 172; as universe, 16–18, 81, 159, 169–70, 175–76, 188–89, 192, 200, 202, 208; as verb, 29; visible, 5, 28–29, 38. See also braneworld; cosmos; geocentrism; heliocentrism; multiverse; plurality of worlds; possible worlds; universe
Zarathustra, of Nietzsche, 60–61