Models, Representation, and Mediation.

Representation has been one of the main themes in the recent discussion of models. Several authors have argued for a pragmatic approach to representation that takes users and their interpretations into account. It appears to me, however, that this emphasis on representation places excessive limitati...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Philosophy of Science Vol. 72; no. 5; pp. 1260 - 1272
Autor principal: Knuuttila, Tarja
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Cambridge University Press Dec2005
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Representation has been one of the main themes in the recent discussion of models. Several authors have argued for a pragmatic approach to representation that takes users and their interpretations into account. It appears to me, however, that this emphasis on representation places excessive limitations on our view of models and their epistemic value. Models should rather be thought of as epistemic artifacts through which we gain knowledge in diverse ways. Approaching models this way stresses their materiality and media-specificity. Focusing on models as multifunctional artifacts releases them from any preestablished and fixed representational relationships and leads me to argue for a twofold approach to representation.