Large number coincidences and the anthropic principle in cosmology.

The anthropic principle, which asserts that what we can expect to observe must be restricted by the conditions necessary for our presence as observers, is discussed in relation to several large number coincidences. An illustration is given of the use of the 'strong' anthropic principle, which states that the Universe must be such as to admit the creation of observers within it at some stage, to predict a priori the weakness of the gravitational coupling constant.