Scientific Modelling: Normative and Practical Aspects

Aim

On completion of the course, the students should on an advanced level be able to:

• identify common philosophical questions regarding scientific modeling, including questions about scientific representation, the ontology of models, and the relationship between theories and models
• analyse the role of models in various scientific fields and distinguish between theoretical models and data models
• explain the differences between various forms of abstractions and idealizations in the practice of modeling
• describe the role of mathematics in different research contexts
• identify and describe how decisions made during the construction of models can have consequences for how these models are applied

Content

The course covers the basics of the philosophy concerning scientific models and modeling, such as scientific representation and the nature and properties of models. The course discusses different views on the role of models in scientific research, as well as the role of mathematics in the creation of scientific models. Additionally, the basics of various methods for creating models are addressed. The practical consequences of the technical design of models are also studied.