Modeling as a method of philosophy

Philosophy is traditionally seen as a discipline that proposes and evaluates theories. A recent alternative sees philosophy as engaged in modeling: the use of idealized and abstract representations that target complex phenomena in simplified, controlled settings. But this comes at the cost of uncertainty as to how the results of such investigations relate to their targets. The project brings together experts in philosophical methodology from across Europe to study this novel development. The project studies three questions about modeling as a method of philosophy. 1) How should philosophers reason with models? 2) How can philosophers use and make progress with models from other disciplines? and 3) How does the distinctive philosophical dimension of normativity complicate the use and transfer of models from empirical sciences in(to) philosophy?

The project will draw on the philosophy of scientific modeling and meta-philosophical studies of philosophical methods. It aims to improve the methods of philosophy by intervening at a time when philosophical modeling is on the rise. It will create new links between philosophy and model-based sciences, support cross-disciplinary exchanges, and open new possibilities for interdisciplinary modeling.