English

Why is the universe comprehensible?

History and Philosophy of Physics 2020-11-16 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology Quantum Physics

Abstract

Why is the universe comprehensible? How is it that we can come to know its regularities well-enough to exploit them for our own gain? In this essay I argue that the nature of our comprehension lies in the mutually agreed upon methodology we use to attain it and on the basic stability of the universe. But I also argue that the very act of comprehension itself places constraints on what we can comprehend by forcing us to establish a context for our knowledge. In this way the universe has managed to conspire to make itself objectively comprehensible to subjective observers.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2011.06672,
  title  = {Why is the universe comprehensible?},
  author = {Ian T. Durham},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2011.06672},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

Forthcoming in a collection from Springer. Fourth Prize-winning essay in the 2020 FQXi Essay Contest

R2 v1 2026-06-23T20:09:45.061Z