Berlin 2005 – scientific programme

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AKPHIL: Philosophie der Physik

AKPHIL 3: Kosmologie und Teilchenphysik

AKPHIL 3.1: Talk

Tuesday, March 8, 2005, 16:30–17:00, TU TC6

Knowledge Beyond the Horizon? - An Epistemological Problem for Physical Cosmology — •Claus Beisbart — P.P.M Research Group, P.O. Box M 682, 78457 Konstanz

These days physical cosmology is one of the most thriving branches of physics. However, if cosmology ultimately aims at knowledge about the Universe as a whole, and if our particle horizon is smaller than the Universe, then cosmology faces a serious problem: How are we to go beyond the particle horizon in order to get a grip on the Universe as a whole? In my talk I will shortly describe the problem by confronting well-known definitions of knowledge with a recent cosmological result. I will then discuss solutions that have been proposed so far. In the last part of my talk I will ask whether we can establish the homogeneity of space (and get a grip on the whole Universe again) by taking a purely inductive approach. I will conclude by spelling out the consequences of this proposal.