Models, Data and Unobservable Phenomena in Physics

This workshop aims to address questions regarding the relationship between models, data and phenomena in physics, especially in those areas where direct empirical observation of the physical systems in question is not possible. This includes mainly the areas of particle physics and astrophysics, where the construction of so-called phenomenological models is largely guided by the available data from direct and indirect measurements. The participants of the workshop will engage in discussions concerning a variety of related issues including – but not limited to – the degree and the possible ways in which models in these fields deviate from the background theory on the one hand and the construction of models in the absence of any empirical data for their support on the other. Other topics will include the challenge of evaluating the epistemic validity of competing phenomenological models given that they involve different and often conflicting assumptions, the question of whether such models represent physical phenomena or the available data, and finally, whether the collection of data independent of any background theory with the aim of new physics is possible.