Simulations are not Models

Simpson, John (2006) Simulations are not Models. In [2006] Models and Simulations (Paris, 2006), Paris.

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to argue that simulation is the activity of inferring future states. I argue that
simulations instantiate models and that models are complexes of representations, so the inference in
question makes use of the relations between the representations in a simulation's associated model. It
follows that simulations should not be properly considered to be models in general, despite it being the
case that they are commonly treated, or referred to, as being models, or even models of a special type,
namely dynamic models. Further consequences of this position are also discussed.