Computer simulations are omnipresent media in today’s knowledge production. For scientific endeavors such as the detection of gravitational waves and the exploration of subatomic worlds, simulations are essential however, the epistemic status of computer simulations is rather controversial as they are neither just theory nor just experiment. Therefore, computer simulations have challenged well-established insights and common scientific practices as well as our very understanding of knowledge. This volume contributes to the ongoing discussion on the epistemic position of computer simulations in a variety of physical disciplines, such as quantum optics, quantum mechanics, and computational physics. Originating from an interdisciplinary event, it shows that accounts of contemporary physics can constructively interfere with media theory, philosophy, and the history of science.

Anne Dippel and Martin Warnke: About Waves, Particles, Events, Computer Simulation, and Ethics in Quantum Physics Kristel Michielsen and Hans de Raedt: Discrete-Event Simulation of Quantum Physics Experiments Lukas Mairhofer: Observing the Unobservable. Quantum Interference of Complex Macromolecules Mira Maiwöger: Simulating Patterns, Measuring Fringes. Simulating Matter with Matter Frank Pasemann: Event-Based Simulations. Is there a Need for New Physical Theories? Arianna Borrelli: Quantum Theory. A Media-Archaeological Perspective Wolfgang Hagen: On Nature, its Mental Pictures and Simulatabilty. A Few Genealogical Remarks Hans-Jörg Rheinberger: Intervention John Durham Peters et al.: Round Table