The role of models in the application of scientific theories: epistemological implications

Suárez, Mauricio

doi:10.1017/cbo9780511660108.008

Cited by 53 publications

(24 citation statements)

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“…3. Multi-functionality of models Improving the typical representationalistic 8 approach of scholars such as Giere (1988) and Suárez (1999), Morrison and Morgan (1999) mentioned a newer account that proposes a model to be conceived of as an instrument which can function ''as a 'representative' rather than a 'representation' of'' a reality (p. 33), in a variety of ways such as:…”

Section: The Philosophical Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Models as artefacts of a dual nature: a philosophical contribution to teaching about models designed and used in engineering practice

Nia

Vries

2016

Int J Technol Des Educ

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Although 'models' play a significant role in engineering activities, not much has yet been developed to enhance the technological literacy of students in this regard. This contribution intends to help fill this gap and deliver a comprehensive account as to the nature and various properties of these engineering tools. It begins by inspecting two wellknown cases: the long-term policy documents of technological literacy in the USA and in New Zealand. This will help to clarify the approach of these educational documents to models, provide a primary understanding of their existing drawbacks in this relation, and realize the necessity of underpinning a well-organized account that can be used in teaching about models. Next, the discussion moves toward an attempt to develop a sound description of the nature of models. This is accomplished through an extensive review of the viewpoints of philosophers (of science and technology) about the nature and properties of these tools; models will then be argued and suggested for consideration as technoscientific artefacts with their own dual nature: the intrinsic and the intentional. Such an account paves the way to the next step, which namely attempts to provide a well-ordered framework of the models' various properties, through taking up those two natures and their interrelation in detail. The paper concludes by showing some initial advantages of applying the suggested approach to the intended cases, which can hopefully lead to further, more detailed inspections and extended contributions.

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Section: The Philosophical Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Models as artefacts of a dual nature: a philosophical contribution to teaching about models designed and used in engineering practice

Nia

Vries

2016

Int J Technol Des Educ

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“…Morrison (2005, actually written and circulated about a decade earlier), Suárez (1999), and Batterman (2009) share a very similar understanding of the distinction, and put it to similar epistemic uses. 2 The term 'instrumental reliability' was introduced and applied to idealizations in this way in Suárez (1999). Winsberg (2010, ch.…”

Section: Notesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fictions, Conditionals, and Stellar Astrophysics

Suárez¹

2013

International Studies in the Philosophy of Science

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This article argues in favour of an inferential role for fictions in scientific modelling. The argument proceeds by means of a detailed case study, namely models of the internal structure of stars in stellar astrophysics. The main assumptions in such models are described, and it is argued that they are best understood as useful fictions. The role that conditionals play in these models is explained, and it is argued that fictional assumptions play an important role as either background or antecedent conditions. I then expand on the argument for the compatibility of fictions and scientific realism. I argue that realism and antirealism plausibly offer correspondingly different accounts of the semantics of these fictional conditionals. The Inferential Role of Scientific FictionsThis is the third and concluding article in a trilogy defending the inferential role that fictions play in scientific modelling. In the previous articles (Suárez 2009(Suárez , 2010, I introduced the idea of inferential expediency as the hallmark of scientific fictions, and I argued that fictions are not incompatible with scientific realism. In this article, I begin by distinguishing fiction from idealisation. I then illustrate the distinction by means of a case study in astrophysics, namely stellar structure models. I identify the relevant fictional assumptions in these models, as well as the three empirical quantities that are the object of observational astrophysics. I describe the corresponding 'fictional conditionals', which provide these models with inferential expediency. I finish by bringing these lessons to bear on the compatibility of the use of fictions in models with scientific realism. In particular, I argue that the realist may choose to offer a nontruth-functional semantics for these conditionals that preserves the thesis that the practice of model building in science aims at truth.

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“…But this is connected with the instrumental reliability of the theory rather than its truth (For more on instrumental reliability see Suárez, 1997Suárez, , 1999. The theory must be used in novel ways to produce the result; the result is not already there buried with the theory.…”

Section: Steven French and His Collaborators James Ladyman Otávio Bmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The semantic conception is often taken by many, including FLBD, to say that there are a set of relations R definable between 19 They claim to be responding to Suárez (1999), although Suárez's critique of isomorphism is his (1997). 20 Its introduction goes back, at least, to Suppes' early writings on the topic.…”

Section: Structures For the Toolboxmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The example was further developed by one of us, who described its epistemological implications in greater detail (Suárez, 1995(Suárez, , 1997(Suárez, , 1999. Previous models had successfully treated the resistanceless flow characteristic of superconductivity but they were stymied by the discovery of the Meissner effect -the expulsion of electromagnetic flux when superconducting materials pass the critical temperature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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