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Astronomy at the Frontiers of Science pp 309–320Cite as

Fundamental Issues and Problems of Cosmology

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Part of the book series: Integrated Science & Technology Program ((ISTP,volume 1))

Abstract

Cosmology – the study of the origin and evolution of the universe itself – is a unique science because the universe provides the setting and context for all the other sciences. It has made incredible strides in the past century, and particularly in the past two decades, as physical understanding has developed and as vast amounts of new data has come in. We understand the basic evolution of the universe from extremely early times to the present day, as well as the way large scale structures formed in the universe (Dodelson S, Modern Cosmology, Academic, San Diego, 2003; Peter P, Uzan J-P, Primordial cosmology Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2009. However (and partly as a consequence of all this new data) we are inevitably running into a series of limits due to the nature of the subject. This chapter will look at some of these fundamental problems for cosmology, and consider some fundamental issues relating to the nature of the topic (For a discussion of cosmological issues from a philosophical viewpoint, raising many of the issues considered here in the context of the relevant physical theory, see Ellis (Issues in the philosophy of cosmology. In: Butterfield J, Earman J (eds) Handbook in philosophy of physics. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2006, pp. 1183–1285, http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0602280).

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It has also been suggested this might be true for the speed of light c; but the value assigned to this quantity depends on the dimensional units used, and can always be set to unity by appropriate choice of units (measure distance in light years). Thus this is not a good physical proposal [18]. We will of course be in very deep trouble if unity (the quantity represented by the number “1”) ever starts varying with time!

  2. 2.

    Examples are Astrology and Intelligent Design.

  3. 3.

    This lies inside the particle horizon, which is the causal horizon for all physical effects since the start of the universe.

  4. 4.

    In a sensible time horizon for science: say in the next 25,000 years.

  5. 5.

    The claim that this infinity necessarily follows from the physics of the situation is not true, even if we accept the unproven underlying physical process: for in reality the situation is that if the inflationary parameters are chosen so that eternal inflation occurs, the implied infinity is an asymptotic state that is never reached in a finite time [17].

  6. 6.

    Some deny that mental events have causal powers. However the fact that this book exists as a physical object is a disproof of that hypothesis.

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Acknowledgments

I thank Jean-Philippe Uzan for helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Astrophysics Cosmology and Gravitation Center, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa

    George F. R. Ellis

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  1. George F. R. Ellis
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Correspondence to George F. R. Ellis .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, Boulevard Arago 98bis, Paris, 75014, France

    Jean-Pierre Lasota

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Ellis, G.F.R. (2011). Fundamental Issues and Problems of Cosmology. In: Lasota, JP. (eds) Astronomy at the Frontiers of Science. Integrated Science & Technology Program, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1658-2_18

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