McCoy, C.D. (2020) Stability in Cosmology, from Einstein to Inflation. Thinking About Space and Time. pp. 71-89.
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Abstract
I investigate the role of stability in cosmology through two episodes from the recent history of cosmology: (1) Einstein’s static universe and Eddington’s demonstration of its instability, and (2) the flatness problem of the hot big bang model and its claimed solution by inflationary theory. These episodes illustrate differing reactions to instability in cosmological models, both positive ones and negative ones. To provide some context to these reactions, I also situate them in relation to perspectives on stability from dynamical systems theory and its epistemology. This reveals, for example, an insistence on stability as an extreme position in relation to the spectrum of physical systems which exhibit degrees of stability and fragility, one which has a pragmatic rationale, but not any deeper one.
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Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | ||||||
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Keywords: | cosmology, stability, flatness problem | ||||||
Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology General Issues > History of Science Case Studies |
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Depositing User: | Dr. Casey McCoy | ||||||
Date Deposited: | 27 Oct 2020 13:45 | ||||||
Last Modified: | 27 Oct 2020 13:45 | ||||||
Item ID: | 18317 | ||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Thinking About Space and Time | ||||||
Publisher: | Birkhauser | ||||||
DOI or Unique Handle: | 10.1007/978-3-030-47782-0_4 | ||||||
Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology General Issues > History of Science Case Studies |
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Date: | 30 September 2020 | ||||||
Page Range: | pp. 71-89 | ||||||
URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/18317 |
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Stability in Cosmology, from Einstein to Inflation. (deposited 31 Jul 2018 18:44)
- Stability in Cosmology, from Einstein to Inflation. (deposited 27 Oct 2020 13:45) [Currently Displayed]
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