Understanding the Standard Model, as a bridge to the discovery of new phenomena at the LHC

Abstract

I discuss the basic elements of the process that will lead to the discovery of possible new phenomena at the LHC. We review the status of the tools available to model the Standard Model backgrounds, and the role that such tools can play in the discovery phase, and in the exploration of the features and parameters of such new phenomena.

Contribution to ``Perspectives on the LHC'', G. Kane and A. Pierce, editors