Melissa Jacquart (University of Cincinnati)
Collaboration between astronomers and philosophers attempts to search for the universe's dark matter, investigating the hypothesis that some of it resides in dark matter galaxies. I address questions related to epistemic warrant: how do astrophysicists blend observation, simulation, and theorizing to warrant inferences about such objects? I focus on the role computer simulations play in astrophysical inferences to provide an argument for how chains of epistemic warrant work and contribute evidence in our dark galaxy hunt. This case provides insight into understanding how computer simulations add to observations, and justify conclusions about the nature and behavior of objects in theories.
