--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A really big question is why the universe…" description: "\"“A really big question is why the universe is fit for life; it looks like it has been ‘fixed up’.”\" — Paul Davies" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/paul-davies-3810_life_a-really-big-question-is-why-the-univers_1135546.png" --- # A really big question is why the universe is fit for life… ![“A really big question is why the universe is fit for life; it looks like it has been ‘fixed up’.” quote by Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/paul-davies-3810_life_a-really-big-question-is-why-the-univers_1135546.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/paul-davies-3810_life_a-really-big-question-is-why-the-univers_1135546.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/paul-davies-3810_life_a-really-big-question-is-why-the-univers_1135546.png) > ““A really big question is why the universe is fit for life; it looks like it has been ‘fixed up’.”” [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The universe appears finely tuned for life, suggesting a purposeful design or selection. **In simple terms:** The universe seems designed for life, hinting at purpose. Key Takeaway Consider evidence for and against fine‑tuning. Themes cosmology philosophy science anthropic principle existential Mood inquisitive thoughtful Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - debate on design - educational lectures - science communication - philosophical discussion - policy making Key Concepts fine‑tuning anthropic reasoning probability theology Questions to Reflect On - Is fine‑tuning evidence of design or a statistical outcome? - What would a non‑life‑friendly universe imply? A Different Perspective Fine‑tuning arguments can be contested by multiverse or selection bias theories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-question-894080/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-looks-956386/) [Like Fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-fixed-3140623/) [Question Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-universe-247069/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Universe Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-fit-3140622/) ## Related quotes > [“Liv: Dean, how many things in the universe had to fit together for us to have met, let alone fallen in love? And how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lane/liv-dean-how-many-things-in-the-universe-had-to-fit-together-for-us/) [Nina Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lane/) > [And she knew without opening her eyes that it was Daniel. No other body in the universe fit hers so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/and-she-knew-without-opening-her-eyes-that-it-was-daniel-no-other/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [Every fact in the universe will fit every other fact in the universe. A lie never did, never will fit anything but another lie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/every-fact-in-the-universe-will-fit-every-other-fact-in-the-universe/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“Liv: Dean, how many things in the universe had to fit together for us to have met, let alone fallen in love? And how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lane/liv-dean-how-many-things-in-the-universe-had-to-fit-together-for-us-2/) [Nina Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lane/) > [“Love is a whole universe that you can fit inside your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/love-is-a-whole-universe-that-you-can-fit-inside-your-soul/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [I am very excited to be supporting one of the world's most visionary efforts to seek basic answers to some of the fundamental question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/i-am-very-excited-to-be-supporting-one-of-the-world-s-most-visionary/) [Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/) > [That is a big question we all have: are we alone in the universe? And exoplanets confirm the suspicion that planets are not rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/that-is-a-big-question-we-all-have-are-we-alone-in-the-universe-and/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? Is the unified theory so compelling that it brings about its own existence?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/why-does-the-universe-go-to-all-the-bother-of-existing-is-the-unified-2/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [One of the things that I've been doing recently in my scientific research is to ask this question: Is the universe actually capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-lloyd/one-of-the-things-that-i-ve-been-doing-recently-in-my-scientific/) [Seth Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-lloyd/) > [In my writing I even question the universe; I wonder out loud if it is real, and I wonder out loud if all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/in-my-writing-i-even-question-the-universe-i-wonder-out-loud-if-it-is/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [People quite often think of the question 'Are we alone in the universe?' in terms of other civilizations out there: life forms that have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimitar-sasselov/people-quite-often-think-of-the-question-are-we-alone-in-the-universe/) [Dimitar Sasselov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimitar-sasselov/) > [“... if we do discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/if-we-do-discover-a-complete-theory-it-should-in-time-be/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Then we shall... be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/then-we-shall-be-able-to-take-part-in-the-discussion-of-the-question/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“…only in the few universes that are like ours would intelligent beings develop and ask the question: “Why is the universe the way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/only-in-the-few-universes-that-are-like-ours-would-intelligent-beings/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? Is the unified theory so compelling that it brings about its own existence?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/why-does-the-universe-go-to-all-the-bother-of-existing-is-the-unified/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## More by Paul Davies > [“When I was a child, I often used to lie awake at night, in fearful anticipation of some unpleasant event the following day, such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/when-i-was-a-child-i-often-used-to-lie-awake-at-night-in-fearful/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [So how can we test the idea that the transition from nonlife to life is simple enough to happen repeatedly? The most obvious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/so-how-can-we-test-the-idea-that-the-transition-from-nonlife-to-life/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [I think if we're going to send messages to the stars then it needs a great deal of thought that it's something that should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/i-think-if-we-re-going-to-send-messages-to-the-stars-then-it-needs-a/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Cosmologists have attempted to account for the day-to-day laws you find in textbooks in terms of fundamental 'superlaws,' but the superlaws themselves must still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/cosmologists-have-attempted-to-account-for-the-day-to-day-laws-you/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Studying cancer could provide huge insights for astrobiologists into the nature of life itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/studying-cancer-could-provide-huge-insights-for-astrobiologists-into/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Cancer cells come pre-programmed to execute a well-defined cascade of changes, seemingly designed to facilitate both their enhanced survival and their dissemination through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/cancer-cells-come-pre-programmed-to-execute-a-well-defined-cascade-of/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [It may seem bizarre, but in my opinion science offers a surer path to God than religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/it-may-seem-bizarre-but-in-my-opinion-science-offers-a-surer-path-to/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [“Until now, I've been writing about "now" as if it were literally an instant of time, but of course human faculties are not infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/until-now-i-ve-been-writing-about-now-as-if-it-were-literally-an/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [A permanent base on Mars would have a number of advantages beyond being a bonanza for planetary science and geology. If, as some evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/a-permanent-base-on-mars-would-have-a-number-of-advantages-beyond/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Although the elusive 'cure' may be a distant dream, understanding the true nature of cancer will enable it to be better controlled and less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/although-the-elusive-cure-may-be-a-distant-dream-understanding-the/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Through conscious beings the universe has generated self-awareness. This can be no trivial detail, no minor byproduct of mindless, purposeless forces. We are truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/through-conscious-beings-the-universe-has-generated-self-awareness/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [The birth of science as we know it arguably began with Isaac Newton's formulation of the laws of gravitation and motion. It is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/the-birth-of-science-as-we-know-it-arguably-began-with-isaac-newton-s/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [“Can a truly absurd universe so convincingly mimic a meaningful one?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/can-a-truly-absurd-universe-so-convincingly-mimic-a-meaningful-one/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Astronauts have been stuck in low-Earth orbit, boldly going nowhere. American attempts to kick-start a new phase of lunar exploration have stalled amid the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/astronauts-have-been-stuck-in-low-earth-orbit-boldly-going-nowhere/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Even if we don't have a precise idea of exactly what took place at the beginning, we can at least see that the origin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/even-if-we-don-t-have-a-precise-idea-of-exactly-what-took-place-at/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) [Explore all 121 Paul Davies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A really big question is why the universe is fit for life; it looks like it has been ‘fixed up’.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Davies" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/a-really-big-question-is-why-the-universe-is-fit-for-life-it-looks/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/a-really-big-question-is-why-the-universe-is-fit-for-life-it-looks/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/paul-davies-3810_life_a-really-big-question-is-why-the-univers_1135546.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/paul-davies-3810_life_a-really-big-question-is-why-the-univers_1135546.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/paul-davies-3810_life_a-really-big-question-is-why-the-univers_1135546.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A really big question is why the universe is fit for life; it looks like it has been ‘fixed up’.” — Paul Davies", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Davies", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A really big question is why...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/a-really-big-question-is-why-the-universe-is-fit-for-life-it-looks/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/a-really-big-question-is-why-the-universe-is-fit-for-life-it-looks/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```