Ok, so epistemologically we can’t know what reality “really” is, only what we observe, and we can come up with models that fit our observations. Your (I’d say v

Ok, so epistemologically we can’t know what reality “really” is, only what we observe, and we can come up with models that fit our observations. Your (I’d say vacuous) point is that my model of reality that includes a chair is epistemologically on the same level as a model of the cosmos that includes dark matter... though it’s also on the same level as a model that gravity is caused by invisible purple dinosaurs. :) So this perspective doesn’t really get us anywhere in judging models of reality. I’d say models are useful when they are simple and predictive. Dark matter isn’t really predictive, it’s what is hypothesized to compensate for the prediction error of our current model of gravity. (Doesn’t mean it’s wrong but am just pointing this out) So I don’t think dark matter is inherently problematic, just that it’s not predictive and it’s worth considering whether the model of gravity we have needs tweaking instead (much like GR refined Newtonian gravity).