Alternative explanations of the cosmic microwave background: a historical and an epistemological perspective

DOI10.1016/J.SHPSB.2017.04.005MaRDI QIDQ1752554zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Milan M. Ćirković, Slobodan Perovic

Publication date 24 May 2018

Published in Studies in History and Philosophy of Science. Part B. Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1705.07721

zbMATH Keywords

evidencecosmologycosmic microwave backgroundastrophysicstheory changefalsificationismhistory of astronomy

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Physics (00A79) History of mathematics in the 20th century (01A60) Relativistic cosmology (83F05) Radiative transfer in astronomy and astrophysics (85A25) History of mathematics in the 21st century (01A61) History of relativity and gravitational theory (83-03)

Abstract: We historically trace various non-conventional explanations for the origin of the cosmic microwave background and discuss their merit, while analyzing the dynamics of their rejection, as well as the relevant physical and methodological reasons for it. It turns out that there have been many such unorthodox interpretations; not only those developed in the context of theories rejecting the relativistic ("Big Bang") paradigm entirely (e.g., by Alfven, Hoyle and Narlikar) but also those coming from the camp of original thinkers firmly entrenched in the relativistic milieu (e.g., by Rees, Ellis, Rowan-Robinson, Layzer and Hively). In fact, the orthodox interpretation has only incrementally won out against the alternatives over the course of the three decades of its multi-stage development. While on the whole, none of the alternatives to the hot Big Bang scenario is persuasive today, we discuss the epistemic ramifications of establishing orthodoxy and eliminating alternatives in science, an issue recently discussed by philosophers and historians of science for other areas of physics. Finally, we single out some plausible and possibly fruitful ideas offered by the alternatives.

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Cited in

(2)

• The diffuse light of the universe. On the microwave background before and after its discovery: open questions
• The ``writing on the cosmic wall: is there a straightforward explanation of the cosmic microwave background?

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