Models as mediators

Scientific models sit at the center of this study of how they work in modern research, with most attention paid to physics and economics. Their uses range from shaping and testing theories to guiding measurement, and they also give scientists a way to act on the world using their ideas.

Editors Mary S. Morgan and Margaret Morrison set out a framework for how models are constructed and what they do, and they examine how models let us learn about both theories and the world. The chapters, written by different contributors, each bring their own theoretical outlook and draw on a broad range of modeling examples.

Drawing on philosophy and the history of science, the case studies illustrate the core concepts and recurring features of modeling practice, making the volume useful for anyone studying how scientific models are made and used.