Changes

Consequently, [[atheism|atheistic]] [[cosmologist]]s assert that ''"there must be no favoured location in the universe, no centre, no boundary; all must see the universe alike"''{{#tag:ref|cf.[[Cosmological principle]]|group=note}}. In order to ensure this situation, they postulate spatial isotropy and spatial homogeneity, which is way of stating that the universe must be pretty much alike everywhere and in all directions. In their reasoning, they use [[circular argument]] hence claim that a favoured position is intolerable because it represents a discrepancy with the theory that postulates homogeneity. Then, in order to restore homogeneity, and "to escape the horror of a ''unique position''", the departures from ''uniformity'', which are introduced by the ''recession factors'', must be from their perspective compensated by the second term in the [[Gravitational field equations|Einstein's field equations]] representing the effects of [[spatial curvature]].  

Consequently, [[atheism|atheistic]] [[cosmologist]]s assert that ''"there must be no favoured location in the universe, no centre, no boundary; all must see the universe alike"''{{#tag:ref|cf.[[Cosmological principle]]|group=note}}. In order to ensure this situation, they postulate spatial isotropy and spatial homogeneity, which is way of stating that the universe must be pretty much alike everywhere and in all directions. In their reasoning, they use [[circular argument]] hence claim that a favoured position is intolerable because it represents a discrepancy with the theory that postulates homogeneity. Then, in order to restore homogeneity, and "to escape the horror of a ''unique position''", the departures from ''uniformity'', which are introduced by the ''recession factors'', must be from their perspective compensated by the second term in the [[Gravitational field equations|Einstein's field equations]] representing the effects of [[spatial curvature]].  

==Effort to hide philosophical criteria for model selection==

==Effort to hide philosophical criteria for model selection==

The kinds of universes that would be compatible with these principles are belonging to the set of so-called [[Relativistic cosmology|relativistic cosmological models]]<ref name="Observational Approach">{{cite web

The kinds of universes that would be compatible with these principles are belonging to the set of so-called [[Relativistic cosmology|relativistic cosmological models]]<ref name="Observational Approach">{{cite web

|title=The Observational Approach to Cosmology

|title=The Observational Approach to Cosmology

|url= http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept04/Hubble/Hubble_contents.html

|url= http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept04/Hubble/Hubble_contents.html

|access date=27.09.2012

|access date=27.09.2012

|quote=Such a condition would imply that we occupy a unique position in the universe, analogous, in a sense, to the ancient conception of a central Earth…. The hypothesis cannot be disproved, but it is unwelcome and would be accepted only as a last resort in order to save the phenomena. Therefore, we disregard this possibility and consider the alternative … But the unwelcome supposition of a favoured location must be avoided at all costs ... Such a favoured position, of course, is intolerable ... Therefore, in order to restore homogeneity, and to escape the horror of a unique position, the departures from uniformity, which are introduced by the recession factors, must be compensated by the second term representing effects of spatial curvature. There seems to be no other escape.}}</ref> and they are being selected and favoured by mainstream scientists based on philosophical criteria. According to South African cosmologist George Ellis who in 1973 co-authored the book ''The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time'' with University of Cambridge physicist [[Stephen Hawking]],<ref>{{cite book |title=The large scale structure of space-time|author=SW Hawking, GFR Ellis|url=http://www.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QagG_KI7Ll8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Ellis+Hawking+The+Large+Scale+Structure+of+Space-Time&ots=GnrgjlTyZb&sig=Qrm1MQGvr6n7yiT0M3dMg0An36o&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Ellis&f=false}}</ref>'' "People need to be aware that there is a range of models that could explain the [[scientific observation|observations]]. For instance, I can construct you a spherically symmetrical universe with Earth at its center, and you cannot disprove it based on observations. You can only exclude it on philosophical grounds. In my view there is absolutely nothing wrong in that. What I want to bring into the open is the fact that we are using philosophical criteria in choosing our models. A lot of [[cosmology]] tries to hide that."''<ref>{{cite journal |author=Gibbs,W.W. |year=1995 |title=Profile: George F. R. Ellis: Thinking Globally, Acting Universally |publisher=Scientific American |volume=273 (4) |pages=28–29}}</ref>  

|quote=Such a condition would imply that we occupy a unique position in the universe, analogous, in a sense, to the ancient conception of a central Earth…. The hypothesis cannot be disproved, but it is unwelcome and would be accepted only as a last resort in order to save the phenomena. Therefore, we disregard this possibility and consider the alternative … But the unwelcome supposition of a favoured location must be avoided at all costs ... Such a favoured position, of course, is intolerable ... Therefore, in order to restore homogeneity, and to escape the horror of a unique position, the departures from uniformity, which are introduced by the recession factors, must be compensated by the second term representing effects of spatial curvature. There seems to be no other escape.}}</ref> and they are being selected and favoured by mainstream scientists based on philosophical criteria. According to South African cosmologist George Ellis who in 1973 co-authored the book ''The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time'' with University of Cambridge physicist [[Stephen Hawking]],<ref>{{cite book |title=The large scale structure of space-time|author=SW Hawking, GFR Ellis|url=http://www.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QagG_KI7Ll8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Ellis+Hawking+The+Large+Scale+Structure+of+Space-Time&ots=GnrgjlTyZb&sig=Qrm1MQGvr6n7yiT0M3dMg0An36o&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Ellis&f=false}}</ref>'' "People need to be aware that there is a range of models that could explain the [[scientific observation|observations]]. For instance, I can construct you a spherically symmetrical universe with Earth at its center, and you cannot disprove it based on observations. You can only exclude it on philosophical grounds. In my view there is absolutely nothing wrong in that. What I want to bring into the open is the fact that we are using philosophical criteria in choosing our models. A lot of [[cosmology]] tries to hide that."''<ref>{{cite journal |author=Gibbs,W.W. |year=1995 |title=Profile: George F. R. Ellis: Thinking Globally, Acting Universally |publisher=Scientific American |volume=273 (4) |pages=28–29}}</ref>

==Notes==

==Notes==