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Letter: Letters : . . .

Published 5 July 1997

From Stephen Heyer

Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

I suspect that Smolin is being far too hard on his own theory when he demands
that natural selection produces only universes of the most efficient possible
design for spawning new universes. After all, many species of living creature
are less than perfectly adapted to their ecological niche and individuals are
often even less so.

It would be no surprise if our Universe, while well adapted enough to
survive, produce life and reproduce, had rather less than the most efficient
possible design. In fact, the surprising thing would be if it did.

Issue no. 2089 published 5 July 1997

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