Date: September 13th, 2024 Time: h. 10:30 – 12:15 Venue: Classroom FDS, fourth floor of building 14 (DMAT), Leonardo campus, piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32.
In this seminar, Professor Tarja Knuuttila, a philosopher of science at the University of Vienna, will present her artefactual theory of scientific models, with a particular focus on economic models.
Professor Tarja Knuuttila argues that the traditional representational approach is too limiting in terms of the epistemic value of modeling, as it focuses on the relationship between a single model and its presumed reference system, neglecting the actual representational means by which scientists construct models. She proposes an alternative interpretation of models as epistemic tools, beginning by considering them as concrete artifacts constructed with specific means of representation and constrained by their design in such a way as to facilitate the study of certain scientific questions and to learn from them through construction and manipulation.
Tarja Knuuttila has been a Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Vienna since 2018. Her philosophical interests lie in scientific modeling, representation, and interdisciplinary relations between scientific disciplines. Knuuttila has developed an artefactual account of scientific modeling that contributes to understanding what makes models epistemically fruitful. Her work is practice-oriented and focuses primarily on contemporary science and modeling practices, combining philosophical analysis with historical and empirical case studies. Synthetic biology and economics are central themes of her work.
For seminar participants, Professor suggests reviewing the two attached articles: https://www.meta.polimi.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SHPS-Knuuttila-published-1.pdf
https://www.meta.polimi.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SHPS-Knuuttila-published-2-1.pdf
The event is open to the public, and it will be possible to participate online upon request.
