The Epistemology of Computer Simulation: The Big Questions
Here they are:
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What is a simulation?
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What is a model?
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What is a theory?
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How do we test the validity of any of the above?
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When do we trust them, what sort of understanding do they afford us?
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What is an experiment? What does it mean to experiment with a simulation?
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What is the role of the computer in simulation?
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How does general systems dynamics influence simulations?
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How do we handle sensitivity to initial conditions?
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How precisely can a simulation approximate real life / a model?
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How do we decide whether to use a theory / model / simulation / intuition for
a given problem?
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Does a simulation have to tell us something?
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How complex is too complex, how simple is too simple?
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How much information do we need to (a) build and (b) test a simulation?
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How/when can the transition from a quantitative to a qualitative claim be
made?
from
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/%7Ekorb/subjects/cse467/questions.html