Dark Matter, Dark Energy and Modern Cosmology: The Case For a Kuhnian Paradigm Shift

Authors

  • Jorge E. Horvath Instituto de Astronomia, Geofí­sica e Ciíªncias Atmosféricas-USP

Keywords:

Cosmology, dark matter, dark energy, scientific revolutions, T.S. Kuhn

Abstract

Several works in the last few years devoted to measure fundamental probes of contemporary cosmology have suggested the existence of a delocalized dominant component (the "dark energy”), in addition to the several-decade-old evidence for "dark matter” other than ordinary baryons, both assuming the description of gravity to be correct. Either we are faced to accept the ignorance of at least 95 % of the content of the universe or consider a deep change of the conceptual framework to understand the data. Thus, the situation seems to be completely favorable for a Kuhnian paradigm shiftin either particle physics or cosmology. We attempt to offer here a brief discussion of these issues from this particular perspective, arguing that the situation qualifies as a textbook Kuhnian anomaly, and offer a tentative identification of some of the actual elements typically associated with the paradigm shift process "in the works” in contemporary science.

Author Biography

Jorge E. Horvath, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofí­sica e Ciíªncias Atmosféricas-USP

Departamento de Astronomia

Associate Professor since 1992

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How to Cite

Horvath, J. E. (2009). Dark Matter, Dark Energy and Modern Cosmology: The Case For a Kuhnian Paradigm Shift. Cosmos and History: The Journal of Natural and Social Philosophy, 5(2), 287–303. Retrieved from https://cosmosandhistory.org/index.php/journal/article/view/161