Calibration as Simulation

Tal, Eran (2008) Calibration as Simulation. In [2008] 24th Regional Conference on the History and Philosophy of Science (Boulder, Oct. 10-12, 2008).

Abstract

Measurement in the natural sciences depends on the execution of valid calibration procedures, i.e. procedures by which the reliability of measurement instruments is established relative to a standard (Franklin 1997). The main thesis of this paper is that calibration is carried out by performing a series of simulations. That is, calibration is achieved by modeling relevant aspects of an actual measurement process and by constructing “mock” processes based on these models (cf. Hartmann 1996). Inferences are then drawn from the behaviour of such surrogate processes back to the actual measuring process. Contrary to the standard view on calibration, these inferences do not rely on similarities in material composition between the represented and actual measuring processes. Instead, I argue that these inferences are analogical in character, and depend on establishing structural similarities between the simulation and its target measuring system.