在宇宙学中，人择原理（Anthropic principle）是一种认为物质宇宙必须与观测它的智能生命相匹配的理论。

人择原理指出：如果万物与自然定律存在，那幺万物与自然定律定会被人类发现。如果万物与自然定律不是人类所看到的形态出现的话，人类就不会知道这些定律是怎样出现的。只有在少数像我们这样的一些宇宙中，智能及生命才得以发展并能质疑：「为何宇宙是我们看到的这种样子？」回答很简单：「如果它不是这个样子，我们就不会在这里。」

The anthropic principle (fromGreek anthropos, meaning "human") is the philosophical consideration that observations of the Universe must be compatible with the conscious and sapient life that observes it. Some proponents of the anthropic principle reason that it explains why this universe has the age and the fundamental physical constants necessary to accommodate conscious life. As a result, they believe it is unremarkable that this universe has fundamental constants that happen to fall within the narrow range thought to be compatible with life. The strong anthropic principle (SAP) as explained by John D. Barrow and Frank Tipler states that this is all the case because the universe is in some sense compelled to eventually have conscious and sapient life emerge within it. Some critics of the SAP argue in favor of a weak anthropic principle (WAP) similar to the one defined by Brandon Carter, which states that the universe's ostensible fine tuning is the result of selection bias: i.e., only in a universe capable of eventually supporting life will there be living beings capable of observing and reflecting upon fine tuning. Most often such arguments draw upon some notion of the multiverse for there to be a statistical population of universes to select from and from which selection bias (our observance of only this universe, compatible with life) could occur.