Rejecting the Multiverse: Elie Feder and Aaron Zimmer
It can be tempting to dismiss the idea of the multiverse as unobservable fantasy. But what happens when the available evidence for it is given a fair shake? On this ID The Future, physicist Brian Miller begins a conversation with mathematician Elie Feder and physicist Aaron Zimmer, hosts of the Physics to God podcast, about their unique formulation of the fine-tuning argument and their rigorous examination of the multiverse hypothesis.
In Part 1, Feder and Zimmer explain how their podcast got started and what they’ve covered so far. In their first season, they break down the fine-tuning and initial conditions of the universe and show how the evidence points to an intelligent cause. In Season 2, out this year, they present a careful consideration of the evidence for the multiverse. “We have the smartest people in the world who are believing in the multiverse,” notes Feder. “As such, you can’t just push it aside and say that nah, that doesn’t make any sense, that’s far-fetched, that’s science fiction. We have to take it seriously.” The Physics to God hosts show that the universe boils down to 25 numbers, the fundamental quantities of nature. Through careful review of the available evidence, Feder and Zimmer argue that the multiverse theory does not have the elements necessary to explain fine-tuning.
This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Look for Part 2 next!
Dig Deeper
- Listen to the Physics to God podcast to learn more about evidence for fine-tuning and the arguments against the multiverse.
- Feder and Zimmer offer three proofs of God from science.