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Validating the Universe in a Box

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Chris Smeenk  and
Sarah C. Gallagher
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Abstract

Computer simulations of the formation and evolution of large-scale structure in the universe are integral to the enterprise of modern cosmology. Establishing the reliability of these simulations has been extremely challenging, primarily because of epistemic opacity. In this setting, robustness analysis defined by requiring converging outputs from a diverse ensemble of simulations is insufficient to determine simulation validity. We propose an alternative path of structured code validation that applies eliminative reasoning to isolate and reduce possible sources of error, a potential path that is already being explored by some cosmologists.

Type
Physical Sciences
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 87 , Issue 5: PSA 2018 - Proceedings of the 2018 biennial meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association. Part II Symposia Papers , December 2020 , pp. 1221 - 1233
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

†

We have benefited from questions and comments at PSA 2018, extended discussions with our cosymposiasts (in particular, Marie Gueguen), and constructive comments from two referees. This article was made possible in part through the support of grant 61048 from the John Templeton Foundation and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

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