Explanatory Depth in Primordial Cosmology
A Comparative Study of Inflationary and Bouncing Paradigms
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8399221 |
|---|---|
| Authors | William J Wolf (0000-0002-8754-3360, University of Oxford), Karim P Y Thébault (0000-0002-3440-3030, University of Bristol) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 77 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 000-000 |
| Publication date | 2023-03-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-0882 • E-ISSN: 1464-3537 |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1086/725096 |
| OpenAlex | W4327716802 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 150 |
We develop and apply a multi-dimensional account of explanatory depth towards a comparative analysis of inflationary and bouncing paradigms in primordial cosmology. Our analysis builds on earlier work due to Azhar and Loeb (2021) that establishes initial conditions fine-tuning as a dimension of explanatory depth relevant to debates in contemporary cosmology. We propose dynamical fine-tuning and autonomy as two further dimensions of depth in the context of problems with instability and trans-Planckian modes that afflict bouncing and inflationary approaches respectively. In the context of the latter issue, we argue that the recently formulated trans-Planckian censorship conjecture leads to a trade-off for inflationary models between dynamical fine-tuning and autonomy. We conclude with the suggestion that explanatory preference with regard to the different dimensions of depth is best understood in terms of differing attitudes towards heuristics for future model building
Astronomy · Cosmology · Epistemology · Philosophy of science · Physics · Cosmology and Gravitation Theories · Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena · Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories · Philosophy
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In Defense of Explanatory Ecumenism
Dissecting explanatory power
The Metaphysics Within Physics
Does inflation solve the hot big bang model׳s fine-tuning problems
The “Past Hypothesis”
The case for black hole thermodynamics part I
Predictability crisis in early universe cosmology
A simplified genesis of quantum mechanics
On the philosophy of cosmology
Temporal binding
Are causal facts really explanatorily emergent? Ladyman and Ross on higher-level causal facts and renormalization group explanation
Renormalization group methods
Trans-Planckian philosophy of cosmology
Can Typicality Arguments Dissolve Cosmology’s Flatness Problem
On the Renormalization Group Explanation of Universality
Explanatory Depth
A Critical Look at Inflationary Cosmology
Taking Reductionism to the Limit
New Difficulties for the Past Hypothesis
Why Is There Universal Macrobehavior? Renormalization Group Explanation as Noncausal Explanation
Explanatory Depth in Primordial Cosmology
Epistemic Justification and Methodological Luck in Inflationary Cosmology
On the Universality of Hawking Radiation
Whence the Effectiveness of Effective Field Theories
Multiple Realizability and Universality
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,33 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2025 (3) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |