Models, fictions, and realism: Two packages

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Some philosophers of science-myself included-appeal to fiction as an interpretation of the practice of modeling. This raises the specter of an incompatibility with realism, since fiction making is essentially nontruth regulated. I argue that the prima facie conflict can be resolved in two ways, each involving a distinct notion of fiction and a corresponding formulation of realism. The main goal of the essay is to describe these two packages. I comment also on how to choose between them.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)738-748
Number of pages11
JournalPhilosophy of Science
Volume79
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2012
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • History
  • Philosophy
  • History and Philosophy of Science

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