What kind of science is cosmology?
  In recent years, by theory and observation cosmology has advanced
substantially. Parameters of the concordance or $\Lambda$CDM cosmological model
are given with unprecedented precision ("precision cosmology"). On the other
side, 95% of the matter content of the universe are of an unknown nature. This
awkward situation motivates the present attempt to find cosmology's place among
the (exact) natural sciences. Due to its epistemic and methodical
particularities, e.g., as a mathematized historical science, cosmology occupies
a very special place. After going through some of the highlights of
cosmological modeling, the conclusion is reached that knowledge provided by
cosmological modeling cannot be as explicative and secure as knowledge gained
by laboratory physics.
