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Explanatory idealizations
Abstract
A signal development in contemporary physics is the widespread use, in explanatory contexts, of highly idealized models. This paper argues that some highly idealized models in physics have genuine explanatory power, and it extends the explanatory role for such idealizations beyond the scope of previous philosophical work. It focuses on idealizations of nonlinear oscillator systems.Author's Profile
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False models as explanatory engines.Frank Hindriks - 2008 - Philosophy of the Social Sciences 38 (3):334-360.
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2009-01-28
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