The tool box of science: Tools for the building of models with a superconductivity example

Poznan Studies in the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities 44:137-149 (1995)
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Abstract

We call for a new philosophical conception of models in physics. Some standard conceptions take models to be useful approximations to theorems, that are the chief means to test theories. Hence the heuristics of model building is dictated by the requirements and practice of theory-testing. In this paper we argue that a theory-driven view of models can not account for common procedures used by scientists to model phenomena. We illustrate this thesis with a case study: the construction of one of the first comprehensive model of superconductivity by London brothers in 1934. Instead of theory-driven view of models, we suggest a phenomenologically-driven one.

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edition Nancy, Cartwright; Shomar, Towfic; Suárez, Mauricio (1995) "The Tool‐Box of Science". In Herfel et al , William, Theories and Models in Scientific Processes, pp. 137--149: Rodopi (1995)

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Author Profiles

Towfic Shomar
University Of Jordan
Mauricio Suárez
Complutense University of Madrid
Nancy Cartwright
London School of Economics

Citations of this work

What is structural realism?James Ladyman - 1998 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 29 (3):409-424.
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The Structure of Scientific Theories.Rasmus Grønfeldt Winther - 2015 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

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