Cosmic Fine‐Tuning, the Multiverse Hypothesis, and the Inverse gambler's Fallacy

Philosophy Compass 17 (9):e12873 (2022)
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Abstract

The multiverse hypothesis is one of the leading proposed explanations of cosmic fine-tuning for life. One common objection to the multiverse hypothesis is that, even if it were true, it would not explain why this universe, our universe, is fine-tuned for life. To think it would so explain is allegedly to commit “the inverse gambler's fallacy.” This paper presents what the inverse gambler's fallacy is supposed to be, then surveys the discussion of it in the philosophical literature of the last 35 years.

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Neil A. Manson
University of Mississippi

Citations of this work

Fine-Tuning Should Make Us More Confident that Other Universes Exist.Bradford Saad - 2024 - American Philosophical Quarterly 61 (1):29-44.
Harmony in a panpsychist world.Bradford Saad - 2022 - Synthese 200 (6):1-24.

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