Issues in the Philosophy of Cosmology

Abstract

After a survey of the present state of cosmological theory and observations, this article discusses a series of major themes underlying the relation of philosophy to cosmology. These are: A: The uniqueness of the universe; B: The large scale of the universe in space and time; C: The unbound energies in the early universe; D: Explaining the universe -- the question of origins; E: The universe as the background for existence; F: The explicit philosophical basis; G: The Anthropic question: fine tuning for life; H: The possible existence of multiverses; I: The natures of existence. Each of these themes is explored and related to a series of Theses that set out the major issues confronting cosmology in relation to philosophy.

To appear in the Handbook in Philosophy of Physics, Ed J Butterfield and J Earman (Elsevier, 2006). Small imporvements plus crucial change in Thesis B2

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• The angular scale of homogeneity in the Local Universe with the SDSS blue galaxies
• What kind of science is cosmology?
• An Introduction into the Theory of Cosmological Structure Formation
• Testing cosmological models with the brightness profile of distant galaxies
• A cyclic universe with colour fields