  Are some cosmologists trying to return human beings to the centre of the
cosmos? In the view of some critics, the so-called "anthropic principle" is a
desperate attempt to salvage a scrap of dignity for our species after a few
centuries of demotion at the hands of science. It is all things archaic and
backwards - teleology, theology, religion, anthropocentrism - trying to sneak
back in scientific camouflage. We argue that this is a mistake. The anthropic
principle is not mere human arrogance, nor is it religion in disguise. It is a
necessary part of the science of the universe.
