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PHILOSOPHY OF ASTROPHYSICS
PHILOSOPHY OF ASTROPHYSICS
Stars, Simulations, and the Struggle to Determine What is Out There
Stars, Simulations, and the Struggle to Determine What is Out There
Editors:
Features:
The first book to gather research in philosophy of astrophysics in one volume
The only book that can be used as a textbook for courses in philosophy of astrophysics
Combines novel, breakthrough contributions with insightful overviews of current discussions
This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access
Description:
The volume you have before you is the first edited collection specifically devoted to philosophy of astrophysics. Our primary aims in producing this volume have been to gather contemporary research in philosophy of astrophysics together in one place as both a reference resource for scholars already working in this subdiscipline and as an introduction to curious newcomers. Several contributions in this volume will also likely be of interest to philosophers working on topics such as idealization, validation, and analogy, which extend well beyond the specificity of philosophy of astrophysics. This introduction provides some background on the rise of philosophy of astrophysics as a distinct subject area, brief summaries of the contributions, and closes with a few suggestions for future work.
Fixed Point Realism, the Hubble Trouble, and the hypothesis of Early Dark Energy
The discrepancy in the values of the Hubble constant obtained through different measurement methods has led to various possible solutions, one of which is the hypothesis of early dark energy. Proponents of this hypothesis argue that our model of the universe must include an additional ingredient, early dark energy, in order to resolve the so-called “Hubble trouble”. I emphasize that we must carefully assess how this hypothesis would resolve the tension. If early dark energy models address the discrepancy by incorporating the data of Hubble measurement results, the debate should center on whether one should adopt a realist or anti-realist stance toward these measurements. I argue that fixed-point realism, a philosophical perspective commonly employed in astrophysics, would suggest an anti-realist view of the Hubble constant measurement results, thereby inviting skepticism about how early dark energy models often resolve the tension. This underscores the deep connection between the epistemic justification of our beliefs about measurement results, our metaphysical commitments to these results, and the viability of our scientific hypotheses. (This study extends the findings of an earlier project on replicability and the Hubble constant undertaken with McCoy: Matarese, V., & McCoy, C. D. (2024). When “Replicability” is More than Just “Reliability”: The Hubble Constant Controversy, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science)
Dark Energy Realism or Anti-realism?
Dark Energy Realism or Anti-realism?
According to the standard ΛCDM cosmological model, approximately 70% of the universe is composed of dark energy. Given that this is our most successful model to date, one might argue for realism about dark energy, according to which dark energy is a genuine physical entity pervading the universe. However, there remains a profound challenge, which is the problem of underdetermination. How can one be realist about something one cannot even definitively characterize? In this talk, I will present the arguments for and against dark energy realism. I will then propose a more nuanced, cautious, middle-ground approach, which is informed by fictional realism and which acknowledges the fact that dark energy bears multiple interpretations. According to this view, dark energy should be regarded as a real yet fictional entity, introduced as the best possible candidate for physical reality, but which may or may not have a physical counterpart. This framework offers, to my mind, a more fruitful and intellectually honest metaphysical characterization of dark energy, bridging the gap between realism and anti-realism
On the scientific value of Mars – a feminist philosophy of science perspective
On the scientific value of Mars – a feminist philosophy of science perspective
Recent space explorations have provided us with a comprehensive understanding of Mars surface. Technological advancements have even paved the way for contemplating Mars colonization and terraforming. Key arguments against terraforming encompass concerns about potential life on Mars, its aesthetic value and its significance as a natural resource deserving conservation policies. In this paper, as a philosopher of science, I will focus on arguments rooted in its scientific value. Mars stands as an object of scientific interest, prompting the question of how we should treat it. In my response, I adopt a feminist philosophy perspective, asserting that Mars possesses scientific value that goes beyond its role of providing diagnostic evidence for accumulating scientific truths. It is a scientific object whose value and significance are shaped and constituted by the social and cultural aspects of science. This perspective calls for reflexivity, which is a dynamical, flexible, and transparent approach that entails a continuous and intentional assessment of human influence on Mars as an object of scientific value. In conclusion, Mars exploration solicits and fosters a respectful and inclusive vision for future Mars scientific explorations.
To seed or not to seed: The meaning of inoculating other worlds with life from Earth
To seed or not to seed: The meaning of inoculating other worlds with life from Earth
A recent proposal by Crockell et al. (2025) suggests inoculating Enceladus with Earth-originating life as a way to study the emergence of biospheres. As scientific interest in habitable environments beyond Earth grows, proposals of this kind are likely to become increasingly common. While such initiatives are scientifically compelling, Crockell et al. raise ethical concerns about the possibility that the celestial bodies to which we want to inject life and which we presumed to be uninhabited may, in fact, turn out to host forms of life. In this chapter, I take a different approach. Rather than focusing on the potential ethical consequences of seeding life, I examine the deeper meaning of such an act. What does it mean to inoculate other worlds with life? Is it truly an act of science, and if so, what kind of scientific act is it? As a philosopher of science, I investigate the scientific and epistemic dimensions of deliberately introducing life to other planetary bodies to increase our scientific knowledge. In particular, I will focus on how such actions reflect underlying assumptions about scientific knowledge, experimentation, and progress. Celestial inoculation is not a neutral, purely technical procedure; it is a value-laden practice, shaped by specific narratives about the nature and the aims of science. Drawing on feminist philosophy of science, I show how currently dominant scientific metaphors and framings can perpetuate epistemic injustice, by privileging certain visions of scientific progress, marginalizing alternative epistemologies, and reducing planets or space environments to passive substrates for experimentation. In response, I propose a reframing of ‘life seeding’ grounded in epistemic humility, scientific responsibility, and what I term ‘epistemic relationality’. This perspective calls for a science that is reflective about its own meaning, self-aware, and responsive to the epistemic significance of the objects it engages with. Rather than asking only whether we can bring life to other worlds, or what the ethical consequences might be, we must first ask what kinds of scientific acts and relationships we are initiating, and what kind of vision of scientific knowledge we are not only performing, but also exporting into the cosmos.
L’uomo nello Spazio, tra Terra e Universo
L’uomo nello Spazio, tra Terra e Universo
Questa breve voce toccherà le linee di ricerca principali della filosofia dell’esplorazione spaziale, con una particolare attenzione ai due grandi temi che toccano in modo particolare la relazione dell’uomo con lo spazio, il cui locus per eccellenza, nel Novecento e nei giorni nostri, diventa ‘tra’ la Terra e l’Universo. L’intento ultimo è proprio quello di proporre una visione della filosofia dell’esplorazione spaziale che la vede come disciplina madre se si vuole investigare la dimensione relazionale dell’uomo, sempre in rapporto con lo spazio in cui vive, e la cui esistenza è fortemente plasmata dalla sua relazione con esso. Questo capitolo ha altresì il più modesto intento di far familiarizzare il lettore con tale ramo della filosofia, mostrando come le esplorazioni dello spazio abbiano portato al concepimento di un nuovo indirizzo di ricerca nella filosofia contemporanea, sia teoretica che pratica.
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