La función explicativa de los modelos en biología
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24310/Contrastescontrastes.v0i0.1157Abstract
RESUMEN
Los modelos científicos son recursos explicativos fundamentales en la ciencia, y particularmente en aquellas ciencias en las que es dudoso que podamos contar con leyes científicas genuinas, como es el caso de la biología (y de las ciencias sociales). La cuestión de cómo explican los modelos ha despertado una gran atención en las últimas décadas y, sin embargo, sigue siendo una cuestión controvertida. Hay muchos tipos de modelos y no es de extrañar, por tanto, que puedan proporcionar explicaciones de los fenómenos de formas muy diversas. Si se puede señalar un rasgo común a todos estos modos diferentes de explicar, es el hecho de que los modelos nos ofrecen una mejor comprensión de los fenómenos. Se argumenta en este trabajo que la noción de ‘comprensión’ aquí implicada no es irremediablemente subjetiva.
PALABRAS CLAVE
MODELOS BIOLÓGICOS, EXPLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA, COMPRENSIÓN, LEYES CIENTÍFICAS
ABSTRACT
Scientific models are basic explanatory resources in science. This explanatory function is especially relevant in biology and social sciences, where it is doubtful the existence of genuine scientific laws. How models can provide scientific explanations has been a widely debated issue in the past decades, but in spite of this fact it remains as a controversial one. There are many kinds of models in biology, so it is not surprising that they provide scientific explanations of phenomena in very different ways. A possible common feature among this diversity is the fact that models give us a better understanding of phenomena. It is argued in this paper that the notion of ‘understanding’ is not irremediably subjective.
KEYWORDS
BIOLOGICAL MODELS, SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION, UNDERSTANDING, SCIENTIFIC LAWS
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