English

Quantum Cosmology and the Constants of Nature

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2007-05-23 v1 Astrophysics

Abstract

In models where the constants of Nature can take more than one set of values, the cosmological wave function ψ\psi describes an ensemble of universes with different values of the constants. The probability distribution for the constants can be determined with the aid of the `principle of mediocrity' which asserts that we are a `typical' civilization in this ensemble. I discuss the implications of this approach for inflationary scenarios, the origin of density fluctuations, and the cosmological constant.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.gr-qc/9512031,
  title  = {Quantum Cosmology and the Constants of Nature},
  author = {Alexander Vilenkin},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/9512031},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

12 pages; talk given at the RESCEU Symposium, Tokyo, Nov. 1995