Hello Peter,
The observed perihelion of Mercury was a problem for Newtonian Mechanics. No doubt there were efforts to remedy that. However, Einstein's GR 'naturally' accounted for the perihelion of Mercury. But even Einstein knew GR was not the 'final theory.' Now we have empirical evidence to that effect, and much effort to remedy this. Is it therefore inconcievable that a 'final theory' will 'naturally' account for the large scale observations made today?
Einstein said:
"[S]omething general will have to be said... about the points of view from which physical theories may be analyzed critically... The first point of view is obvious: the theory must not contradict empirical facts... The second point of view is not concerned with the relationship to the observations but with the premises of the theory itself, with what may briefly but vaguely be characterized as the `naturalness' or `logical simplicity' of the premises (the basic concepts and the relations between these)... We prize a theory more highly if, from the logical standpoint, it does not involve an arbitrary choice among theories that are equivalent and possess analogous structures... I must confess herewith that I cannot at this point, and perhaps not at all, replace these hints by more precise definitions. I believe, however, that a sharper formulation would be possible."
--Einstein, "Autobiographical Notes", originally published in Schilpp, Albert Einstein, Philosopher-Scientist, 1949, and reprinted as a separate book in 1979.
My essay is concerned with that 'second point of view.' As I have said before I do not argue with phenomena, only with the theories purporting to explain them. Therefore, the question of 'dark matter' and 'dark energy' would be of interest to me if, and only if, we already had a 'final theory' and found it wanting.
Best Wishes,
Robert
P.S - I am not fond of Duck, but if you're buying I might reconsider.
