
Published online:
05 September 2013
Published in print:
05 February 2013
Online ISBN:
9780199971374
Print ISBN:
9780195392043
Contents
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1. Introduction 1. Introduction
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2. Overview of the Standard Model 2. Overview of the Standard Model
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2.1 Expanding Universe Models 2.1 Expanding Universe Models
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2.2 Thermal History 2.2 Thermal History
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2.3 Structure Formation 2.3 Structure Formation
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3. Dark Matter and Dark Energy 3. Dark Matter and Dark Energy
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4. Uniqueness of the Universe 4. Uniqueness of the Universe
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5. Global Structure 5. Global Structure
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6. Early Universe Cosmology 6. Early Universe Cosmology
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7. Anthropic Reasoning 7. Anthropic Reasoning
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8. MULTIVERSE 8. MULTIVERSE
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9. Conclusion 9. Conclusion
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References References
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Chapter
17 Philosophy of Cosmology
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Chris Smeenk
Chris Smeenk
Philosophy, University of Western Ontario
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Associate Professor, History and Philosophy of Physics, Department of Philosophy, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
Pages
607–652
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Published:05 September 2013
Cite
Smeenk, Chris, ' Philosophy of
Cosmology', in Robert Batterman (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Physics, Oxford Handbooks (2013; online edn, Oxford Academic, 5 Sept. 2013), https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195392043.013.0018, accessed 3 May 2025.
Abstract
This chapter addresses philosophical questions raised in contemporary work on cosmology. It provides an overview of the Standard Model for cosmology and argues that its deficiency in addressing theories regarding the very early universe can be resolved by introducing a dynamical phase of evolution that eliminates the need for a special initial state. The chapter also discusses recent hypotheses about dark matter and energy, issues that it relates to philosophical debates about underdetermination.
Keywords:
cosmology, Standard Model, very early universe, dynamical phase, initial state, dark matter, dark energy, underdetermination
Series
Oxford Handbooks
Collection:
Oxford Handbooks Online
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