A Bayesian Model of Credence in Low Energy Supersymmetry

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Hauptverfasser: Dawid, Richard, Wells, James D.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
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author Dawid, Richard
Wells, James D.
author_facet Dawid, Richard
Wells, James D.
contents We carry out a quantitative Bayesian analysis of the evolution of credences in low energy supersymmetry (SUSY) in light of the most relevant empirical data. The analysis is based on the assumption that observers apply principles of optimism or pessimism about theory building in a coherent way. On this basis, we provide a rough assessment of the current range of plausible credences in low energy SUSY and determine in which way LHC data changes those credences. For observers who had been optimistic about low energy SUSY before the LHC, the method reports that LHC data does lead to decreased credences in accordance with intuition. The decrease is moderate, however, and keeps posteriors at very substantial levels. The analysis further establishes that a very high but not yet indefensible degree of pessimism regarding the success chances of theory building still results in quite significant credences in GUT and low energy SUSY for the time right before the start of the LHC. The pessimist's credence in low energy SUSY remains nearly unchanged once LHC data is taken into account.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_03232
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Bayesian Model of Credence in Low Energy Supersymmetry
Dawid, Richard
Wells, James D.
History and Philosophy of Physics
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
We carry out a quantitative Bayesian analysis of the evolution of credences in low energy supersymmetry (SUSY) in light of the most relevant empirical data. The analysis is based on the assumption that observers apply principles of optimism or pessimism about theory building in a coherent way. On this basis, we provide a rough assessment of the current range of plausible credences in low energy SUSY and determine in which way LHC data changes those credences. For observers who had been optimistic about low energy SUSY before the LHC, the method reports that LHC data does lead to decreased credences in accordance with intuition. The decrease is moderate, however, and keeps posteriors at very substantial levels. The analysis further establishes that a very high but not yet indefensible degree of pessimism regarding the success chances of theory building still results in quite significant credences in GUT and low energy SUSY for the time right before the start of the LHC. The pessimist's credence in low energy SUSY remains nearly unchanged once LHC data is taken into account.
title A Bayesian Model of Credence in Low Energy Supersymmetry
topic History and Philosophy of Physics
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.03232