On 15 Nov 2009, at 12:54, Kjeldgaard Morten wrote:
> Yes, but models that can be validated against experimental data. The
> defining characteristics of computational models is that they (A)
> are 100% dependent on the algortihm, (B) can't be validated at all.
Computational models can be validated by comparison to experimental
observation. There is not much of a tradition for doing so,
unfortunately, but the situation is slowly improving.
The outcome of computations on models certainly depends on the
algorithm, just like the outcome of an experiment depends on the
experimental protocol. But the algorithm, just like any experimental
setup, has been designed for a particular purpose and its validity can
be established by validating many results obtained from it. Again, the
main problem is that this is too rarely done.
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Konrad Hinsen
Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS Orléans
Synchrotron Soleil - Division Expériences
Saint Aubin - BP 48
91192 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France
Tel. +33-1 69 35 97 15
E-Mail: research at khinsen dot fastmail dot net
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