  In an analogue quantum simulation, an experimentally accessible quantum
system is controlled and measured precisely in order to learn about the
properties of another quantum system. As such, analogue quantum simulation is a
novel tool of scientific inference standing between computation simulation and
conventional experiment. In this book we undertake a comprehensive appraisal of
the epistemology of analogue quantum simulation. In particular, we consider the
types of understanding that analogue quantum simulation can yield. We draw a
distinction between analogue quantum computations and analogue quantum
emulations and argue that this distinction has important practical consequences
on the types of validation an experimenter needs to perform in order to meet
their epistemic goal. Our analysis is rooted in the contemporary scientific
practice of analogue quantum simulation and draws upon detailed case studies of
cold atoms, quantum photonics, and dispersive optical media platforms. Our goal
is to provide a new framework for scientists and philosophers alike to
understand the epistemic foundations of this exciting new area of scientific
practice.
