Cosmic acceleration as the solution to the cosmological constant problem

In this paper we provide both a diagnosis and resolution of the cosmological constant problem, one in which a large (as opposed to a small) cosmological constant $\\Lambda$ can be made compatible with observation. We trace the origin of the cosmological constant problem to the assumption that Newton's constant $G$ sets the scale for cosmology. And then we show that once this assumption is relaxed (so that the local $G$ as measured in a local Cavendish experiment is no longer to be associated with global cosmology), the very same cosmic acceleration which has served to make the cosmological constant problem so very severe instead then serves to provide us with its potential resolution. In addition, we present an alternate cosmology, one based on conformal gravity (a theory which explicitly possesses no fundamental $G$), and show that once given only that there is to be cosmic acceleration in the conformal theory (i.e. once given only that in the theory the sign of $\\Lambda$ is to specifically be the negative one suggested by spontaneous symmetry breaking), then that alone, no matter how big $\\Lambda$ might actually be magnitude, is sufficient to not only make the actually measurable contribution $\\Omega_{\\Lambda}(t_0)$ of $\\Lambda$ to current era cosmology naturally be of order one today, but to even do so in a way which is fully compatible with the recent high $z$ supernovae cosmology data. Cosmology can thus live with either a fundamental $G$ or with the large (and even potentially negative) $\\Lambda$ associated with elementary particle physics phase transitions but not with both.