[corry]

While I don't disagree with your reaction to the article in question...

"[The atrophic principle] tends to be invoked by theorists whenever they do not have a good enough theory to explain the observed facts." - Roger Penrose

Isn't the anthropic principle just the most recent god-of-the-gaps argument - i.e. a de facto mystery explanation of things we can't otherwise explain...?

I suppose that (to me) if or when the multi-verse theory becomes a falsifiable theory AND is empirically validated, then awesome we have the explanation pre-baked (the anthropic principle).

But until then, there doesn't seem to be grounds to say it's 'remedial'.

But curious for your thoughts, it's not my area of expertise beyond a layman's interest.