Models, explanation, representation, and the philosophy of computer simulations

Abstract

The philosophical study of computer simulations has been largely subordinated to the analysis of sets of equations and their implementation on the computer. What has received less attention, however, is whether simulation models can be taken as units of analysis in their own right. Here I present my own experimental work investigating this issue. This article explores the capacity of programming languages to represent target systems and submits that, in a number of cases, the representation of simulation models differs in non-trivial ways from sets of equations. If my claim is correct, then a few important methodological and epistemological concerns emerge that need our attention. This article finishes by briefly addressing some implications for the philosophy of computer simulation.