Has anyone tried Victor Stenger's MonkeyGod toy universe program?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter marcus
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Program Universe
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on Victor Stenger's "MonkeyGod" toy universe program, which allows users to manipulate basic physical constants to explore the formation of stars and heavy elements necessary for life. The program is associated with Stenger's book "The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning," which critiques the concept of fine-tuning in cosmology. Participants express a lack of firsthand experience with the tool, indicating a need for further exploration and improvement of the program's functionalities.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physical constants in cosmology
  • Familiarity with the concept of fine-tuning in the universe
  • Basic knowledge of the relationship between stars and chemical element formation
  • Awareness of Victor Stenger's contributions to cosmology
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the functionalities of the MonkeyGod program
  • Read Victor Stenger's "The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning"
  • Investigate the implications of varying physical constants on cosmic evolution
  • Research critiques and discussions surrounding fine-tuning in cosmology
USEFUL FOR

Cosmologists, physics enthusiasts, educators, and anyone interested in the intersection of cosmology and philosophy regarding the fine-tuning argument.

marcus
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Gold Member
Dearly Missed
Messages
24,752
Reaction score
795
Has anyone tried Victor Stenger's "MonkeyGod" toy universe program?

I haven't yet.
http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/Cosmo/monkey.html

I heard about it on the Cosmic Horizons blog:
http://cosmic-horizons.blogspot.com/2011/09/peer-review-fallacy-of-fine-tuning.html
which was reviewing the Stenger book called "The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning"

==sample quote from review==

... not particularly satisfied by it all, although this book does demonstrate that some of the claims of fine tuning are not as fine-tuned as originally thought. In fact, the author has a little web interface called MonkeyGod which allows you to make your own universe and see if you will get stars and heavy elements (the ingredients of life).

In summary, this is something we should probably give some serious thought to, and this book is not a bad place to start.
==endquote==
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Space news on Phys.org


What's the point to the calculator?
 


Drakkith, there is some explanation here (but not enough)
http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/Cosmo/MonkeyGod.pdf

He refers to a book he wrote over 10 years ago. Apparently this calculator goes with the book.
I think the aim is to let you vary some a few basic physical constants and see whether you still get long-lived stars and a range of chemical elements to support complex chemistry.

Looks to me like there's a lot of room for improvement. I was hoping someone who had tried it would explain, but it looks like no one here has or wants to.
 
Last edited by a moderator:


Ah ok.
 

Similar threads

High School How constrained are the initial conditions of the universe?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate Is Gravity Fictitious? A Look at Victor Stenger's The Fallacy of Fine Tuning
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
6K
Mathematica This Week's Finds in Mathematical Physics (Week 266)
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
Graduate Max Tegmark, Lee Smolin-polite conversation at Peter's
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
8K