The meaning of it all

The anthropic principle suggests that perhaps the universe is the way it is because if it were any other way, we would not be here to ask the question. However, this principle can't explain why the universe continues to exist once that question has been asked. One would expect that if this was the simplest possible universe that allowed this question to be asked, then it would end pretty soon afterwards.

Perhaps there is an extension to the anthropic principle that says something like "this universe is the simplest possible universe in which some particular task can be achieved". Perhaps that task is understanding the universe (as in the Douglas Adams principle "if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable" and it's corollary "this has already happened - several times"). Or maybe it's something else, as the universe does still seem to be here.

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