Is Scientific Modeling an Indirect Methodology?

Podnieks, Karlis (2009) Is Scientific Modeling an Indirect Methodology? The Reasoner, 3 (1). pp. 4-5. ISSN 1757-0522

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Abstract

Imagine, quarks will be retained as a construct in all future physical theories. Do physicists need more than this kind of invariance to claim the "real existence" of quarks and believe in having a "direct representation" of them?

If we consider modeling not as a heap of contingent structures, but (where possible) as evolving coordinated systems of models, then we can reasonably explain as "direct representations" even some very complicated model-based cognitive situations. Scientific modeling is not as indirect as it may seem. "Direct theorizing" comes later, as the result of a successful model evolution.

Item Type:Article
Subjects:B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
Divisions:University of Latvia > F1 Faculty of Computing
ID Code:158
Deposited By: Prof. Karlis Podnieks
Deposited On:27 Nov 2010 07:42
Last Modified:06 Feb 2021 14:41

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