Rice, Collin (2016) Factive Scientific Understanding Without Accurate Representation. Biology & Philosophy, 31. ISSN 1572-8404

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Abstract

This paper analyzes two ways idealized biological models produce factive scientific understanding. I then argue that models can provide factive scientific understanding of a phenomenon without providing an accurate representation of the (difference-making) features of their real-world target system(s). My analysis of these cases also suggests that the debate over scientific realism needs to investigate the factive scientific understanding produced by scientists’ use of idealized models rather than the accuracy of scientific models themselves.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Rice, Collin collin.rice@colostate.edu
Keywords:	Understanding; Modeling; Idealization
Subjects:	General Issues > Models and Idealization
Depositing User:	Collin Rice
Date Deposited:	22 Aug 2025 13:56
Last Modified:	22 Aug 2025 13:56
Item ID:	26306
Journal or Publication Title:	Biology & Philosophy
Publisher:	Springer
Official URL:	https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10539-0...
DOI or Unique Handle:	10.1007/s10539-015-9510-2
Subjects:	General Issues > Models and Idealization
Date:	2016
Volume:	31
ISSN:	1572-8404
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/26306

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