Rice, Collin (2018) Idealized Models, Holistic Distortions, and Universality. Synthese, 195. ISSN 1573-0964

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Abstract

In this paper, I first argue against various attempts to justify idealizations in scientific models that explain by showing that they are harmless and isolable distortions of irrelevant features. In response, I propose a view in which idealized models are characterized as providing holistically distorted representations of their target system(s). I then suggest an alternative way that idealized modeling can be justified by appealing to universality.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Rice, Collin collin.rice@colostate.edu
Keywords:	Idealization; Modeling; Distortion; Universality
Subjects:	General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Models and Idealization
Depositing User:	Collin Rice
Date Deposited:	22 Aug 2025 14:24
Last Modified:	22 Aug 2025 14:24
Item ID:	26310
Journal or Publication Title:	Synthese
Publisher:	Springer (Springer Science+Business Media B.V.)
Official URL:	https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11229-0...
DOI or Unique Handle:	10.1007/s11229-017-1357-4
Subjects:	General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Models and Idealization
Date:	2018
Volume:	195
ISSN:	1573-0964
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/26310

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