ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author discusses the question of imperialism by focusing on two natural sciences – namely, particle physics and astronomy – in the context of an experimental episode that led, in its culmination, to the discovery of dark energy. He examines the case that exhibits several features which suggests that it can be understood as constituting a case of scientific imperialism. The author extends the account of scientific imperialism that Uskali Maki offered to experimental practice, using the discovery of dark energy as a test case. He discusses a short history of the experimental problem that lies at the origin of the research of both groups. The author moves on to the work of the particle physicists, the Berkeley group, and examines how they approached the problem. He also examines Maki's work on scientific imperialism and proposes to expand it so that it can account for imperialistic breaches in the context of experimental knowledge.
