| ID | 181547 |
| Title Proper | Models-As-Fables |
| Other Title Information | an Alternative to the Standard Rationale for Using Formal Models in Political Science |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Johnson, James |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | 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. |
| `In' analytical Note | Perspectives on Politics Vol. 19, No.3; Sep 2021: p.874 - 889 |
| Journal Source | Perspectives on Politics 2021-09 19, 3 |
| Key Words | Political Science ; Formal Models ; Models-As-Fables |