Speaker
Description
I propose a general methodological framework for astrophysical observations that can accommodate both single and multi-messenger observations. This is an eliminative inferential process aimed at identifying the source system from two directions, namely from date to phenomenon and from fundamental theory to phenomenon. That is, the process draws from both observational data and theoretical principles to justify the identification of a source system. The framework allows for a case-by-case allocation of the epistemic emphasis given to theoretical and empirical evidence in the process of justifying an observation. Furthermore, the framework addresses the problem of unconceived alternatives in the observation of astrophysical events by augmenting the meta-empirical assessments developed by Dawid (2013) to extend the notion of evidence beyond the empirical detections.
