[PhilPhys] CFR: Dark Matter & Modified Gravity Conference, Aachen (6-8 Feb 2019)

[Niels Martens]

Dark Matter & Modified Gravity Conference

6-8 February 2019

Aachen, Germany

Call for Registration (deadline 13 January 2019)

www.lhc-epistemologie.uni-wuppertal.de/dm-mg

The Research Unit “Epistemology of the LHC” invites students and other
scholars in philosophy, history and sociology of physics/science, as well
as in physics, to register 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)

Stacy McGaugh, Case Western Reserve University (USA)

Mordehai Milgrom, Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel)

Tobias Mistele, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (Germany)

Robert Sanders, University of Groningen (The Netherlands)

Philosophy:

Erik Curiel, Black Hole Initiative, Harvard University (USA)

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)

Contributing speakers:
Siska de Baerdemaeker, University of Pittsburgh (USA)
Indranil Banik, University of Bonn (Germany)
Nora Mills Boyd, Siena College (USA)
Marc Holman, Rotman Institute of Philosophy, Western University (Canada)
Abhishek Kashyap, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (India)
Marcel Pawlowski, Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik, Potsdam (Germany)
Manus Visser, University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

REGISTRATION

The organising committee invites participants from physics and from
philosophy, history and sociology of physics/science, as well as anyone
else who may be interested. In order to register for this conference,
please email your name and affiliation to martens at physik.rwth-aachen.de by 13
January 2019. Registration is free. (Note that the deadline for abstract
submissions has passed.)

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, eg. regarding practicalities and the schedule, see the
conference website: www.lhc-epistemologie.uni-wuppertal.de/dm-mg,

or contact the organisers:

-Niels Martens (RWTH Aachen University) martens at physik.rwth-aachen.de

-Dennis Lehmkuhl (University of Bonn) lehmkuhl at caltech.edu

-Michael Krämer (RWTH Aachen University) mkraemer at physik.rwth-aachen.de

-Erhard Scholz (University of Wuppertal) scholz at math.uni-wuppertal.de

-Miguel Ángel Carretero Sahuquillo (University of Wuppertal)
carreterosahuqu at uni-wuppertal.de
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