Scientific representation / James Nguyen, Roman Frigg.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nguyen, James, author.

Frigg, Roman, author.

Series:

Cambridge elements. Elements in the philosophy of science, 2517-7273.

Cambridge elements. Elements in the philosophy of science, 2517-7273

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Science--Philosophy.

Science.

Science--Methodology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (80 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 2022.

Summary:

This Element presents a philosophical exploration of the notion of scientific representation. It does so by focussing on an important class of scientific representations, namely scientific models. Models are important in the scientific process because scientists can study a model to discover features of reality. But what does it mean for something to represent something else? This is the question discussed in this Element. The authors begin by disentangling different aspects of the problem of representation and then discuss the dominant accounts in the philosophical literature: the resemblance view and inferentialism. They find them both wanting and submit that their own preferred option, the so-called DEKI account, not only eschews the problems that beset these conceptions, but further provides a comprehensive answer to the question of how scientific representation works. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Contents:

Cover

Title page

Copyright page

Scientific Representation

Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 Models

1.2 Questions Concerning Scientific Representation

1.3 What Does Success Look Like?

1.4 Roadmap

2 Resemblance and Representation

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Resemblance

2.3 The Semantic Question

2.4 The Accuracy Question

2.5 The Model Question

3 The Inferential Conception

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Representational Deflationism

3.3 Why Be an Inferentialist?

3.4 Reactions and Developments

4 The DEKI Account

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Using a Ship Model

4.3 Two Kinds of Representations

4.4 Exemplification

4.5 Keys and Imputation

4.6 Putting the Pieces Together: DEKI

4.7 Non-concrete Models

4.8 Limit Keys for Mechanical Models

4.9 Coda

References

Acknowledgements.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 31 Aug 2022).

ISBN:

9781009007344

1009007343

9781009007993

1009007998

9781009003575

1009003577

OCLC:

1492915440