My paper criticised situations where abstractions are played with that
are never connected with real problems/domains/practice. This
discussion has been a prime example of this. Where is the verification
or validation of all this philosophy in the practice of actual social
simulation?
It is notable that the philosophy of science has very much moved towards
describing how science etc. is *actually* done rather than merely
arguing about metaphysics.
If you are going to philosophise, please:
1. Read up on the existing philosophy first (a good pragmatic
introduction is Giere, R, "Explaining science : a cognitive approach",
University of Chicago Press 1988)
2. Think how the philosophy would actually either be testable or
helpful to anyone. If it is neither it is useless!
Regards.
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Bruce Edmonds,
Centre for Policy Modelling,
Manchester Metropolitan University, Aytoun Bldg.,
Aytoun St., Manchester, M1 3GH. UK.
Tel: +44 161 247 6479 Fax: +44 161 247 6802
http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/~bruce
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