Would it be possible for any/all of the universal constants to change while still allowing the universe to continue to exist?

 

 

Briefly, yes. There's another thread here on these forums somewhere about that, and someone could give you a much more complete answer than mine, but it is possible that certain constants could change in conjunction and still result in a universe that behaves much like the one we currently live in.

 

See: The Fine Tuning Argument Is Dead.

Thanks for that. It at least answers half of what I want to understand: That it is possible for the universal constants to have different values and still have a functioning universe.

 

What I'd really like to know is what would happen to the universe, in its present form, if it was possible to change these values? Could you change them so that the universe would start contracting but otherwise change nothing else? What are the chances of humans surviving a change in the values to witness the effects? If you could change the values would it be a case of the universe can survive in some state, but it would be a very hostile place?

 

BTW, I am in no way arguing for (or against) God's involvement in creation here!

Thanks for that. It at least answers half of what I want to understand: That it is possible for the universal constants to have different values and still have a functioning universe.

 

What I'd really like to know is what would happen to the universe, in its present form, if it was possible to change these values? Could you change them so that the universe would start contracting but otherwise change nothing else? What are the chances of humans surviving a change in the values to witness the effects? If you could change the values would it be a case of the universe can survive in some state, but it would be a very hostile place?

 

BTW, I am in no way arguing for (or against) God's involvement in creation here!

 

It is possible that when we do come up with a theory that unifies the forces, and can reconcile the very large with the very small that the dimensionless and fundamental constants will pop out of that theory ie what is now only measurable will become calculable. In that case other universes with different values may not be possible.

If any constant were to change, the universe wouldn't suddenly unravel.... It would simply shift to accomidate the new rule. Gravity gets cut in half.... Things would simply have to be closer to orbit. .... I mean.... Yea, if they suddenly changed, the systems would all be instantly unbalanced and probably crash into eachother and destroy all life... But if they were changed slowly enough, I'm sure the universe could rebalance itself.

 

....perhaps in the expansion of the universe, our constants are already changing as a direct result of that expansion. Perhaps that's what keeps us in balance as we spread out.

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Moderator Note

A number of posts from this thread have been relocated to here: http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/78266-thread-hijack-changing-universal-constants/

 

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