A Formal Framework for Computer Simulations: Surveying the Historical Record and Finding Their Philosophical Roots

• Published in: Philosophy & technology Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 105 - 127
• Main Author: Durán, Juan M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-03-2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Book publishing; Complex systems; Computer simulation; Computer-generated environments; Education; Historical analysis; Mathematical models; Naylor, Thomas H; Philosophy; Philosophy of science; Philosophy of Technology; Problem solving; Research Article; Scientific method; Shubik, Martin; New York; United Kingdom; Scientific explanation; History and philosophy of computer simulations; Two viewpoints on computer simulations; Problem-solving techniques viewpoint; Description of patterns of behavior viewpoint
• ISSN: 2210-5433; 2210-5441
• DOI: 10.1007/s13347-019-00388-1

A chronicled approach to the notion of computer simulations shows that there are two predominant interpretations in the specialized literature. According to the first interpretation, computer simulations are techniques for finding the set of solutions to a mathematical model. I call this first interpretation the
problem-solving technique viewpoint
(PST). In its second interpretation, computer simulations are considered to describe patterns of behavior of a target system. I call this second interpretation the
description of patterns of behavior viewpoint
of computer simulations (DPB). This article explores these two interpretations of computer simulations from three different angles. First, I collect a series of definitions of computer simulation from the historical record. I track back definitions to the early 1960s and show how each viewpoint shares similar interpretations of computer simulations—ultimately clustering into the two viewpoints aforementioned. This reconstruction also includes the most recent literature. Second, I unpack the philosophical assumptions behind each viewpoint, with a special emphasis on their differences. Third, I discuss the philosophical implications of each viewpoint in the context of the recent discussion on the logic of scientific explanation for computer simulations.