Open AccessThe epistemic role of fiction in scientific models
Author(s) -
Ana Katic
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
theoria
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2406-081X
pISSN - 0351-2274
DOI - 10.2298/theo2003005k
Subject(s) - epistemology , perspective (graphical) , representation (politics) , argument (complex analysis) , literary fiction , scientific modelling , value (mathematics) , philosophy , fiction theory , sociology , literature , literary criticism , computer science , art , chemistry , linguistics , political science , politics , artificial intelligence , biochemistry , machine learning , law
Giere?s analysis of the epistemic role of fiction in science and literature is the representative of antifictionists. Our research finds the three inconsistencies in his main paper regarding the comparison of fiction in scientific models and literary works. We analyze his argument and offer our solution to the issue favoring the perspective of fictionalism. Further, we support a typological differentiation of false representation in science into fictional and fictitious. The value of this differentiation we demonstrate by giving the example of digital organisms in system biology. The paper aims to help better understanding of fiction in science and to avoid the oversimplification of literary fiction.