If we know the distribution of physical features across life-supporting universes, we can calculate such averages. But typicality is a thorny assumption. If future work shows that our observations fall into the range of calculated averages in a particular multiverse, confidence in our typicality—and in the multiverse proposal—would grow. That would be exciting. But if our observations fall outside the averages that could be evidence that the multiverse proposal is wrong, or it could mean that we are just not typical. Even in a neighborhood that has 99 percent Labs, you can still run into
...more
