BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Non-literal model interpretations - James Nguyen (UCL)
DTSTART:20190206T130000Z
DTEND:20190206T143000Z
UID:TALK118321@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Matt Farr
DESCRIPTION:I suggest that the representational content of a scientific mo
 del is determined by a 'key' associated with it. A key allows the model's 
 users to draw inferences about its target system. Crucially\, these infere
 nces need not be a matter of proposed similarity (structural or otherwise)
  to its target\, but can allow for much more conventional associations bet
 ween model features and features to be exported. Although this is a simple
  suggestion\, it has broad ramifications. I point out that it allows us to
  re-conceptualise what we mean by 'idealisation': just because a model is 
 a distortion of its target (in the relevant respects\, and even essentiall
 y so)\, this does not entail that it is a misrepresentation\, even with re
 spect to the features it distorts. Rather\, we should focus on interpretin
 g the distorted aspects of such models non-literally. I investigate variou
 s ways of doing so\, and demonstrate that for at least some idealised mode
 ls\, the result is that they are not misrepresentations after all\, thereb
 y diffusing various puzzles associated with their use in science.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 2\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR