Philosophy of Cosmology and Astrophysics

Cosmology and astrophysics provide a unique resource for philosophers of science: due to novel physics, the remoteness of their targets, and the range of relevant spatiotemporal scales, research in these areas pushes the methodology of empirical science to its limits. It should therefore not be surprising that philosophy of cosmology, and, to a lesser degree, philosophy of astrophysics, have seen an explosive growth over the past two decades. This Cambridge Element surveys the existing literature, identifies areas for future research, and highlights how philosophy of cosmology and astrophysics have implications for debates in general philosophy of science.