# Whats the most persuasive argument that says the Big Bang theory is a .... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658 "2017-06-10T23:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/21 "2017-06-13T17:57:47Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Hard to say, since they use 3.0 for pi, [don’t they](http://creation.com/does-the-bible-say-pi-equals-3)? I’d say they play pretty fast and loose with math when it suits them. The state of Indiana, in its wisdom, [passed a bill in the House of Representatives](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Pi_Bill) in 1897 which provided for squaring the circle and implicitly declared a legal value for pi of 3.2. Tragically, due to the unfortunate intervention of a math professor who apparently lacked a sense of humor, the groundbreaking bill failed to pass the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/22 "2017-06-13T18:05:48Z")
The Bible doesn’t say that pi is 3.0 , which would be incorrect. It says that it’s 3 . Which is correct. Significant figures matter. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/23 "2017-06-13T18:16:45Z")
Can I get an actual answer without the anti-Christian snark, please? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/24 "2017-06-13T18:28:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The Bible doesn’t say that pi is 3.0 , which would be incorrect. It says that it’s 3 . Which is correct. > > Significant figures matter. Quite true, in terms of significant digits 3 is correct. But of course if you built an analog clock in a way that was premised on this geometric assumption, the clock would gain 68 minutes every day. After the first 24 hours it would say 2:08 instead of 1:00. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/25 "2017-06-13T18:31:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Can I get an actual answer without the anti-Christian snark, please? It’d require some calculus to get an exact answer on the initial speed and the rate of slowdown, and we’d have to assume that it was a constant deceleration, but in order for the stuff form 13.7 billion light years away (and for this I am entirely discounting the expansion of the universe) and get here only 6000 years later requires an average speed of 2,283,333.33… times the current speed of light. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/26 "2017-06-13T18:38:08Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Quite true, in terms of significant digits 3 is correct. But of course if you built an analog clock in a way that was premised on this geometric assumption, the clock would gain 68 minutes every day. After the first 24 hours it would say 2:08 instead of 1:00. 😉 That would be fairly accurate compared to the actual clocks available when 1 Kings was written. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/27 "2017-06-13T18:39:44Z")
The most distant object so far optically detected is I believe on the order of [13.4 billion light years away](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/most-distant-object-in-the-universe-spotted-by-hubble-space-telescope-shattering-record-for-the-a6911096.html), which would mean this particular galaxy having formed when the universe was a mere 400 million years old. One could try to do various extrapolations for fantastical values of light speed but they have no basis in science, and it also seems to make an assumption that the speed of light in a vacuum somehow arbitrary, as opposed to fundamental to the nature of spacetime. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/28 "2017-06-13T19:09:14Z")
Sure, if you’re trying to make a clock, you’d want more precision. But if you’re just making a big ceremonial basin, then a single significant figure is probably plenty. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658/29 "2017-06-13T23:32:22Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Quite true, in terms of significant digits 3 is correct. But of course if you built an analog clock in a way that was premised on this geometric assumption, the clock would gain 68 minutes every day. After the first 24 hours it would say 2:08 instead of 1:00. 😉 It is a passage discussing the splendid gifts given to a king. It is silly to expect it to have any precision at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-persuasive-argument-that-says-the-big-bang-theory-is-a/788658.md?page=1)