Dark Matter & Modified Gravity Conference
6-8 February 2019
Aachen, Germany
Call for Abstracts (deadline 31 October 2018)
www.lhc-epistemologie.uni-wuppertal.de/dm-mg
The Research Unit “Epistemology of the LHC” invites students and scholars
in philosophy, history and sociology of physics/science, as well as in
physics, to submit abstracts for the conference “Dark Matter & Modified
Gravity”, taking place from 6 to 8 February 2019 at RWTH Aachen University,
Germany.
Interdisciplinary perspectives on the underdetermination between dark
matter & modified gravity
Astrophysical and cosmological observations as well as explanatory gaps in
the Standard Model of particle physics imply the existence of Dark Matter
and/or a modification of our theory of space and time. A decision between
the Dark Matter (DM) and Modified Gravity (MG) approaches is hampered by
problems of underdetermination at different levels and of different kinds.
The plethora of Dark Matter and Modified Gravity approaches, and the
corresponding underdetermination, even in the light of the vast amount of
relevant collider based and astrophysical observations, clearly illustrates
the complexity of this scientific problem. On the other hand, the overlap
of the collider and astrophysical domains may allow for reducing the
underdetermination, thus leading to a simplification of the model
landscape. One focus of this conference is Dark Matter searches at the
Large Hadron Collider and the connection between LHC results and theories
of gravity. We will address the question of different kinds of
underdetermination, both in choosing between the two research programs of
Dark Matter and Modified Gravity, and also in choosing between different
models within each program. In particular, we aim to provide an assessment
of the explanatory power and the explanatory gaps of the Dark Matter and
Modified Gravity hypotheses, and the extent to which these might reduce the
issues of underdetermination.
Research topics include, but are not limited to:
-Is a strict conceptual distinction between DM and MG justified? How does
this relate to the distinction between matter and spacetime?
-What are the explanatory successes and failures of the DM research
programme, and of the MG research programme? Which models of explanation
are being employed by the respective programmes, and how do those relate?
-Sociology of the DM-MG debate
-How do data, constraints and explanations at the LHC, in astrophysics and
cosmology relate? Could the LHC, in principle, confirm dark matter by
itself?
-Virtues and vices of simplified (dark matter) models. Do simplified models
explain?
-Hybrid models, fifth forces & exotic theories that are neither MG nor DM
-Connections between dark energy and DM/MG
-Novel predictions, fine-tuning and falsifiability
Confirmed Speakers
Physics:
Tessa Baker, University of Oxford (UK)
Lasha Berezhiani, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (Germany)
Felix Kahlhoefer, RWTH Aachen University (Germany)
Julien Lesgourgues, RWTH Aachen University (Germany)
Mordehai Milgrom, Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel)
Tobias Mistele, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (Germany)
Robert Sanders, University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
Philosophy:
Michela Massimi, University of Edinburgh (UK)
Niels Martens, RWTH Aachen University (Germany)
David Merritt, Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
Robert Rynasiewicz, Johns Hopkins University (USA)
History:
Jeroen van Dongen, University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Jaco de Swart, University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Other speakers from the Humanities to be announced soon (see website)
Call for Abstracts
The Research Unit “Epistemology of the LHC” invites abstract submissions
on
the theme of the conference, from students and scholars in physics as well
as in philosophy, history and sociology of physics/science. Extended
abstracts of between 500 and 1000 words (excluding references), together
with a short abstract of maximally 100 words, should be submitted as a
pdf to Niels Martens (martens@physik.rwth-aachen.de) by 31 October 2018.
We
aim to communicate our decision by 20 November. We especially encourage
submissions from groups that are underrepresented within the above fields.
Organisation & Contact
This conference is organized by the project “LHC and Gravity” within the
interdisciplinary, DFG-funded research unit “Epistemology of the LHC”.
For
further information, see the conference website:
www.lhc-epistemologie.uni-wuppertal.de/dm-mg,
or contact the organisers:
-Niels Martens (RWTH Aachen University) martens@physik.rwth-aachen.de
-Dennis Lehmkuhl (University of Bonn) lehmkuhl@caltech.edu
-Michael Krämer (RWTH Aachen University) mkraemer@physik.rwth-aachen.de
-Erhard Scholz (University of Wuppertal) scholz@math.uni-wuppertal.de
-Miguel Ángel Carretero Sahuquillo (University of Wuppertal)
carreterosahuqu@uni-wuppertal.de
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