Confirmation via Analogue Simulation: What Dumb Holes Could Tell Us about Gravity

Abstract

In this paper we argue for the existence of analogue simulation as a novel form of scientific inference with the potential to be confirmatory. This notion is distinct from the modes of analogical reasoning detailed in the literature, and draws inspiration from fluid dynamical 'dumb hole' analogues to gravitational black holes. For that case, which is considered in detail, we defend the claim that the phenomena of gravitational Hawking radiation could be confirmed in the case that its counterpart is detected within experiments conducted on diverse realisations of the analogue model. A prospectus is given for further potential cases of analogue simulation in contemporary science.

Hawking radiation and analogue experiments: A Bayesian analysis

“…In this paper we will substantially extend previous philosophical work characterising analogue black hole experiments as a form of 'analogue simulation' (Dardashti et al 2017;Thébault 2019) via application of Bayesian confirmation theory. In that previous analysis, emphasis was placed upon the qualitative claim that certain 'universality arguments' can be used to link evidence about the 'source' dumb hole system to the 'target' black hole system.…”

“…11 For further work on these issues, using a range of different methodologies, see for example (Corley 1998;Himemoto and Tanaka 2000;Barceló, Garay, and Jannes 2009;Coutant, Parentani, and Finazzi 2012). For philosophical discussion see (Dardashti, Thébault, and Winsberg 2017) and (Gryb, Palacios, and Thébault 2018). 12 Here we are drawing upon the account of (Gryb et al 2018) who in turn are largely following the discussion of (Batterman 2000).…”

On the Universality of Hawking Radiation

“…For the former, criterion iv in equation(16)ofUnruh and Schützhold [2005] guarantees that all divergences of the Green's function are local. For the latter, the fixed point requirement ofF(k 2 ) is just equivalent to a scaling limit.21 In this context, it has been argued(Dardashti et al [2017];Dardashti et al [2019];Thébault [2019]) that we…”

Ψ-epistemic quantum cosmology?

“…Reviews are Barceló et al (2005); Visser and Weinfurtner (2007). See Dardashti et al (2015) for a philosophical discussion. 30 More precisely, there are a set of necessary and sufficient conditions under which Euclidean Green's functions are guaranteed to define a unique Wightman quantum field theory.…”