Layers of Models in Computer Simulations

I discuss here the definition of computer simulations, and more specifically the views of Humphreys, who considers that an object is simulated when a computer provides a solution to a computational model, which in turn represents the object of interest. I argue that Humphreys's concepts are not...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational studies in the philosophy of science Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 417 - 436
Main Author Boyer-Kassem, Thomas
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 02.10.2014
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Subjects
Computational methods
Computer simulation
Computers
Conceptualization
Humanities and Social Sciences
Literature
Numerical analysis
Philosophy of science
Physics
Simulation
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Summary:I discuss here the definition of computer simulations, and more specifically the views of Humphreys, who considers that an object is simulated when a computer provides a solution to a computational model, which in turn represents the object of interest. I argue that Humphreys's concepts are not able to analyse fully successfully a case of contemporary simulation in physics, which is more complex than the examples considered so far in the philosophical literature. I therefore modify Humphreys's definition of simulation. I allow for several successive layers of computational models, and I discuss the relations that exist between these models, the computer, and the object under study. An aim of my proposal is to clarify the distinction between computational models and numerical methods, and to better understand the representational and the computational functions of models in simulations.
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ISSN:0269-8595
1469-9281
DOI:10.1080/02698595.2014.979670