The epistemology of dark matter and modified gravity

ANDROMEDA is an unprecedented study regarding the philosophy and epistemology of dark matter and modified gravity.

The project will synthesize existing knowledge from cosmology and philosophy of science in order to realize an innovative and original study of the epistemological foundations of the debate between theories of dark matter and theories of modified gravity as competing explanations of specific cosmological observations.

The main objectives of ANDROMEDA are (a) to develop a philosophically informed historical narrative of the parallel development of dark matter theory and modified gravity as an alternative, (b) to identify the most appropriate epistemic values by which dark matter and modified gravity theories should be assessed and compared to each other, and (c) to examine the extent to which certain models of dark matter and modified gravity theory should be evaluated as mutually exclusive and competing explanations of certain phenomena.

The clear elucidation of these issues will create new avenues for a constructive dialogue between the dark matter and modified gravity communities in physics and will advance the public understanding of theory choice in astrophysics, demonstrating how philosophy can (i) make useful and substantial contributions to an important on-going scientific problem, and (ii) facilitate the communication of scientific challenges to the public.