Heidelberg 2007 – scientific programme

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PV: Plenarvorträge

PV III

PV III: Plenary Talk

Wednesday, March 7, 2007, 10:30–11:15, HS Chemie

The controversial universe: A historical perspective on the scientific status of cosmology — •Helge Kragh — History of Science Department, University of Aarhus,*Building 1521, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark

Cosmology is a peculiar science which has evolved in a peculiar manner. Indeed, for a long time it has been a matter of debate if cosmology can claim to be a science at all, a question which has not been finally resolved and perhaps never will. One way of dealing with the question is by adopting a historical perspective. For more than a century there have been scientists and philosophers who have denied cosmology a place among the physical sciences, primarily because of its unique domain -- the universe. If cosmology is granted the status of a science, what kind of science is it? What are the criteria of truth? Do the laws of nature apply to the universe as a whole? How sound is the conceptual basis of cosmology? Such questions have repeatedly been asked, especially in periods of crisis or when one view of the cosmos has been challenged by another. One such period, which is particularly instructive from a philosophical point of view, was the controversy in the 1950s between the big bang theory and the rival steady state model. One may believe that this discussion is of historical interest only, but I will argue that it is relevant also to the situation in contemporary cosmology.