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(2014) Synthese 191 (8).
Idealized and perspectival representations
some Reasons for making a distinction
Alexander Rueger
pp. 1831-1845
I argue that an adequate understanding of the practice of constructing models in physics requires a distinction between two strategies that are commonly both labeled ‘idealization’. The formal characteristic of both methods is to let a parameter in the equations for a target system go to zero. But the discussion of examples from various applications of perturbation theory shows that there is in general a difference with respect to the aims such limiting procedures are supposed to serve; and with different aims comes the need to characterize the means (the interpretation of the limits) differently. I therefore suggest that we distinguish ‘idealizations’ from ‘perspectives’ or perspectival representations.
Publication details
DOI: 10.1007/s11229-013-0371-4
Full citation:
Rueger, A. (2014). Idealized and perspectival representations: some Reasons for making a distinction. Synthese 191 (8), pp. 1831-1845.
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