Models-As-Fables
An Alternative to the Standard Rationale for Using Formal Models in Political Science
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6317907 |
|---|---|
| Authors | James Turner Johnson (0000-0003-3555-169X, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 874-889 |
| Publication date | 2021-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Perspectives on Politics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1537-5927 • E-ISSN: 1541-0986 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s1537592720003473 |
| OpenAlex | W3095821641 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 17 |
| References cited | 69 |
Political scientists invoke the standard rationale to justify making and using formal models. It goes like this: (1) we rely on formal models to generate predictions, (2) we treat these predictions as empirical hypotheses, and (3) we seek to test these hypotheses against evidence derived from the “real world.” I show that this interpretation of formal models as directly empirical is inadequate just insofar as it fails to capture the way we actually use them. I then offer an alternative rationale for making and using formal models. Specifically, I argue that we use models, like we use fables, for conceptual purposes
Economics · Epistemology · Formal methods · Interpretation (philosophy · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Programming language · Test (biology · Computer Science · Law · Philosophy · Philosophy and History of Science · Political Science Research and Education · Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research · Ecology
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| Unique citing works | 17 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2,13 |
| Citation span | 2018 - 2026 (9) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 17 |