Scientific Models: Red Atoms, White Lies And Black Boxes In A Yellow Book
by Philip Gerlee /
2016 / English / PDF
2.4 MB Download
A zebrafish, the hull of a miniature ship, a mathematical
equation and a food chain - what do these things have in common?
They are examples of models used by scientists to isolate and
study particular aspects of the world around us. This book
begins by introducing the concept of a scientific model from an
intuitive perspective, drawing parallels to mental models and
artistic representations. It then recounts the history of
modelling from the 16th century up until the present day. The
iterative process of model building is described and discussed in
the context of complex models with high predictive accuracy
versus simpler models that provide more of a conceptual
understanding. To illustrate the diversity of opinions within the
scientific community, we also present the results of an interview
study, in which ten scientists from different disciplines
describe their views on modelling and how models feature in their
work. Lastly, it includes a number of worked examples that
span different modelling approaches and techniques. It provides a
comprehensive introduction to scientific models and shows how
models are constructed and used in modern science. It also
addresses the approach to, and the culture surrounding modelling
in different scientific disciplines. It serves as an inspiration
for model building and also facilitates interdisciplinary
collaborations by showing how models are used in different
scientific fields.
A zebrafish, the hull of a miniature ship, a mathematical
equation and a food chain - what do these things have in common?
They are examples of models used by scientists to isolate and
study particular aspects of the world around us. This book
begins by introducing the concept of a scientific model from an
intuitive perspective, drawing parallels to mental models and
artistic representations. It then recounts the history of
modelling from the 16th century up until the present day. The
iterative process of model building is described and discussed in
the context of complex models with high predictive accuracy
versus simpler models that provide more of a conceptual
understanding. To illustrate the diversity of opinions within the
scientific community, we also present the results of an interview
study, in which ten scientists from different disciplines
describe their views on modelling and how models feature in their
work. Lastly, it includes a number of worked examples that
span different modelling approaches and techniques. It provides a
comprehensive introduction to scientific models and shows how
models are constructed and used in modern science. It also
addresses the approach to, and the culture surrounding modelling
in different scientific disciplines. It serves as an inspiration
for model building and also facilitates interdisciplinary
collaborations by showing how models are used in different
scientific fields.
The book is aimed primarily at students in the sciences and
engineering, as well as students at teacher training
colleges but will also appeal to interested readers wanting to
get an overview of scientific modelling in general and different
modelling approaches in particular.
The book is aimed primarily at students in the sciences and
engineering, as well as students at teacher training
colleges but will also appeal to interested readers wanting to
get an overview of scientific modelling in general and different
modelling approaches in particular.