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Seven Myths about the Fiction View of Models

Frigg, Roman and Nguyen, James (2021) Seven Myths about the Fiction View of Models. Models and Idealizations in Science. Artifactual and Fictional Approaches. pp. 133-157.

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Abstract

The fiction view of models submits that scientific models are akin to the characters and places of literary fiction. This view has attracted a number of criticisms. While some of these criticisms raise legitimate points, others are myths. In this paper we first identify and then rebut the following seven myths: (1) that the fiction view regards products of science as falsehoods; (2) that the fiction view holds that models are data-free; (3) that the fiction view is antithetical to representation; (4) that the fiction view trivialises epistemology; (5) that the fiction view cannot account for the use of mathematics in the modelling; (6) that the fiction view misconstrues the function of models in the scientific process; and (7) that the fiction view stands on the wrong side of politics. As a result, we conclude that the fiction view of models, suitably understood, remains a viable position.


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Frigg, Romanr.p.frigg@lse.ac.uk
Nguyen, JamesJ.Nguyen1@lse.ac.uk
Keywords: fiction view of models, falsehood, data, representation, mathematics, creationism
Subjects: General Issues > Models and Idealization
General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
General Issues > Thought Experiments
Depositing User: Roman Frigg
Date Deposited: 17 Jul 2022 06:33
Last Modified: 17 Jul 2022 06:33
Item ID: 20918
Journal or Publication Title: Models and Idealizations in Science. Artifactual and Fictional Approaches
Publisher: Springer
Official URL: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-6...
DOI or Unique Handle: ISBN: 978-3-030-65802-1
Subjects: General Issues > Models and Idealization
General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
General Issues > Thought Experiments
Date: 2021
Page Range: pp. 133-157
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/20918

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