Dardashti R., Dawid R., Thébault K. (Eds.) Why Trust a Theory?: Epistemology of Fundamental Physics

Cambridge University Press, 2019. — 450 p. — ISBN10: 1108470955.Do we need to reconsider scientific methodology in light of modern physics? Has the traditional scientific method become outdated, does it need to be defended against dangerous incursions, or has it always been different from what the canonical view suggests? To what extent should we accept non-empirical strategies for scientific theory assessment? Many core aspects of contemporary fundamental physics are far from empirically well-confirmed. There is controversy on the epistemic status of the corresponding theories, in particular cosmic inflation, the multiverse, and string theory. This collection of essays is based on the high profile workshop 'Why Trust a Theory?' and provides interdisciplinary perspectives on empirical testing in fundamental physics from leading physicists, philosophers and historians of science. Integrating different contemporary and historical positions, it will be of interest to philosophers of science and physicists, as well as anyone interested in the foundations of contemporary science.Historical and Conceptual Background
Fundamental Theories and Epistemic Shifts: Can the History of Science
Scientific Speculation: A Pragmatic Approach
Assessing Scientific Theories: The Bayesian Approach
Philosophy of Science and the String Wars: A View from the Outside
Theory Assessment beyond Empirical Confirmation
The Significance of Non-Empirical Confirmation in Fundamental Physics
The Dangers of Non-Empirical Confirmation
No Alternative to Proliferation
Physics without Experiments?
Scientific Methodology: A View from Early String Theory
What Can We Learn from Analogue Experiments?
Are Black Holes about Information?
Cosmology and Testability
The Limits of Cosmology
The Role of Cosmology in Modern Physics
Theory Confirmation and Multiverses
Beyond Falsifiability: Normal Science in a Multiverse
Gaining Access to the Early Universe
Prospects for Confirmation in String Theory
String Theory to the Rescue
Why Trust a Theory? Some Further Remarks
The Dangerous Irrelevance of String Theory
String/M-Theories about Our World Are Testable in the Traditional Physics Way
Is String Phenomenology an Oxymoron?