Models and Modeling in the Sciences

by Stephen M Downes

Biologists, climate scientists, and economists all rely on models to move their work forward. In this book, Stephen M. Downes explores the use of models in these and other fields to introduce readers to the various philosophical issues that arise in scientific modeling. Readers learn that paying attention to models plays a crucial role in appraising scientific work. This book first presents a wide range of models from a number of different scientific disciplines. After assembling some illustrative examples, Downes demonstrates how models shed light on many perennial issues in philosophy of science and in philosophy in general. Reviewing the range of views on how models represent their targets introduces readers to the key issues in debates on representation, not only in science but in the arts as well. Also, standard epistemological questions are cast in new and interesting ways when readers confront the question, "What makes for a good (or bad) model?" All examples from the sciences and positions in the philosophy of science are presented in an accessible manner. The book is suitable for undergraduates with minimal experience in philosophy and an introductory undergraduate experience in science. Key

104 pages, Paperback

Published July 10, 2020

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

a short and accessible overview of philosophy of modeling. more useful as an overview than weisberg's simulation & similarity, at the cost of presenting brief sketches of each referenced author's work. rather unaware of modeling literatures outside of philosophy (notably the statistics literature)

have lots of things i want to write about after reading this that will end up elsewhere (blog, papers, twitter). i am reminded that i need to read more about what explanation is, and about variety within the mechanistic modeling world

[Daniel C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short book giving an overview of current issues and disagreements regarding the role of models in science. Minus references, the book is about 90 pages. The first 30 pages gives describe a diverse collection of concrete examples of models in various sciences. This helps motivate the rest of the book which discusses the difficulties fitting everything from mathematical predator-prey models to physical concrete models of the hydraulics of San Fransisco bay into one unified account. Turns out what exactly "models" are and how they are, and should be used is a pretty tricky! The brevity meant that I didn't come away with a deeply nuanced understanding of any of the positions, but I at least know what the positions are now and where to go to read more deeply.