Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T13:51:39.606Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 11 - Scientific representation, denotation, and explanatory power

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2012

Athanassios Raftopoulos
Affiliation:
University of Cyprus
Peter Machamer
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Get access

Summary

In science one encounters several kinds of models, such as iconic or scale models, analogical models, and mathematical models. This chapter is restricted to mathematical models. It focuses exclusively on denotative accounts and attempts to develop a denotative account of scientific representation that ties the representational function of scientific models to their explanatory power. The chapter explains why existing denotative accounts are plagued with some weaknesses that prevent them from accurately capturing important elements of scientific modelling. It argues that denotative accounts must make use of the notions of mechanism and explanatory power if they are to overcome those weaknesses and do justice to how scientific models represent their target systems. Nelson Goodman suggests that what lies at the core of representation is denotation. However, if scientific models are denotative representational vehicles and we want to capture the general/specific divide, then their representational and explanatory functions should be linked.
Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×