Why Trust a Theory?: Epistemology of Fundamental Physics

Why Trust a Theory?Epistemology of Fundamental Physics\nAuthor(s): Radin Dardashti, Richard Dawid, Karim Thbault\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom\nImprint: Cambridge University Press\nISBN-13: 9781108470957, 978-1108470957\nSynopsis\nDo 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 Has the traditional scientific method become outdated, does it need to be defended against dangerous incursions, or has it always been different from what the canonical view suggests?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 theoryassessment? 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. Thiscollection of essays is based on thehigh profile workshop 'Why Trust a Theory?' and provides interdisciplinary perspectives on empir.