MCI Cosmological Research Program (2026–2027): A Methodological Roadmap for Analyzing Inferential Tensions

This record presents the MCI Cosmological Research Program (2026–2027), a structured methodological roadmap for a multi-year research initiative focused on the analysis of persistent inferential tensions in contemporary cosmology. The program does not introduce new physical theories, entities, or cosmological parameters, nor does it propose alternative values for established constants. Standard cosmological models, including ΛCDM, are treated as valid within their respective domains of applicability. The central aim of the program is methodological: to investigate cases in which independently robust datasets fail to admit a coherent global closure when directly compared across distinct inferential domains. The working hypothesis is that some persistent cosmological tensions may arise from unexamined assumptions about comparability, rather than from missing physics. The roadmap defines explicit guiding principles, a phased publication structure, and safeguards against premature synthesis or overinterpretation. Individual outputs are conceived as self-contained case studies, while broader connections are addressed only at a later comparative stage. This document serves as a governance and orientation framework for the MCI research program, ensuring epistemic clarity, reproducibility, and long-term coherence across all subsequent publications.