THE ROLE OF MODELS THE ROLE OF MODELS IN THE CONVERGENCE IN THE CONVERGENCE OF SCIENTIFIC OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE Linda Weiser Friedman Linda Weiser Friedman Zicklin School of Business, Baruch Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College College and the Graduate Center of CUNY and the Graduate Center of CUNY email: email: [email protected][email protected]Hershey H. Friedman Hershey H. Friedman Business Program, Department of Business Program, Department of Economics Economics Brooklyn College, CUNY Brooklyn College, CUNY email: [email protected]email: [email protected]
Transcript
THE ROLE OF MODELSTHE ROLE OF MODELSIN THE IN THE
CONVERGENCE OF CONVERGENCE OF SCIENTIFIC SCIENTIFIC
KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE
Linda Weiser Friedman Linda Weiser Friedman Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College
and the Graduate Center of CUNY and the Graduate Center of CUNY
INTRO TO MODELS: The Blind Men and the INTRO TO MODELS: The Blind Men and the ElephantElephant
by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) The following poem was based on a fable told in India many years ago…The following poem was based on a fable told in India many years ago…
It was six men of Indostan It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined, To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind), (Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind Might satisfy his mind
The First approached the Elephant, The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side, Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl: At once began to bawl:
““God bless me! but the Elephant God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!” Is very like a wall!”
The Second, feeling of the tusk, The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! what have we here Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and So very round and smooth and sharp? sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”Is very like a spear!”
The Third approached the animal, The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands, The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake: Thus boldly up and spake:
““I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a snake!” Is very like a snake!”
The Fourth reached out an eager hand, The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee. And felt about the knee.
““What most this wondrous beast is like What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he; Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“ ‘“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!” Is very like a tree!”
The Fifth, The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most; Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan! Is very like a fan!
The Sixth no sooner had begun The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope, About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope, That fell within his scope,
““I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”Is very like a rope!”
And so these men of Indostan And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long, Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong, Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right, Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong! And all were in the wrong!
A Model of Models?A Model of Models?
Models in Architecture - blueprintsModels in Architecture - blueprints
House House
Car Car
Models in Architecture – Models in Architecture – scale modelsscale models
Housing complexHousing complex
Models in StatisticsModels in Statistics
Regression ModelRegression Model
Models in Training - Models in Training - Man-machine simulationsMan-machine simulations
Flight simulator Flight simulator
Models in Psychology – Models in Psychology – Virtual RealityVirtual Reality
VR for Social PhobiaVR for Social Phobia
Models for the Creation of Models for the Creation of Alternative UniversesAlternative Universes
Science fictionScience fiction
Models in ArtModels in Art
Garden of Earthly DelightsGarden of Earthly Delights
Models in ArtModels in Art
Escher’s RelativityEscher’s Relativity
Models in Math / PhysicsModels in Math / Physics
Einstein’s RelativityEinstein’s Relativity
2mce
Models in ChemistryModels in Chemistry
molecule scale modelmolecule scale model
What Do All These Models What Do All These Models Have in Common?Have in Common?
Abstraction [Black Box]Abstraction [Black Box]
Information HidingInformation Hiding
A way of understanding our worldA way of understanding our world
DefinitionDefinition
A model is a representation of the A model is a representation of the real thing but not the thing itselfreal thing but not the thing itself
• This definition is not very articulate, but This definition is not very articulate, but it has the advantage of being it has the advantage of being generalizable to models in many generalizable to models in many different fieldsdifferent fields
Fashion Model?Fashion Model? ……a representation a representation
of the real thingof the real thing
but not the thing itself…but not the thing itself…
A Model of Models?A Model of Models?
First passFirst pass
...
Phys ica l
...
S ta t ic
...
A na ly t ica l
... S ys temS im ula tion
N um erica l
D ynam ic
M athem a tical
M ode ls
A Model of Models?A Model of Models? Second passSecond pass
