The canonical artefact and its cosmological interpretations

Abstract

We argue that there is a factor of at least 10 264 to somehow be accommodated to explain how it is possible that our universe produced a life-form with our advanced level of intelligence. The factor arises from an analytical development of the theme that very intelligent life-forms would give physical expression to a highly distinguished mathematical truth in a canonical way. This structure, which serves to flag the occurrence of a life-form possessing an advanced intelligence, is termed the canonical artefact (TCA). Using TCA we show that if the laws governing the universe’s evolution to the present are indifferent to the emergence of a life-form with advanced intelligence, then the chance of emergence is less than one part in 10 264 , and, if instead, the laws make the emergence a virtual certainty, then the emergence is greater than a 264 orders of magnitude effect. In the first case, emergence of a life-form with advanced intelligence is exceedingly unlikely, and, in the second case, where such a life-form is inevitable, physics faces the problem of giving even a semblance of a quantitative explanation for a 264 orders of magnitude effect. In either case physics is left with a puzzle: explain why our universe contains a life-form with advanced intelligence.