KNOWLEDGE AND REALITY - SOME CONCEPTUAL ISSUES IN SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELING

This paper provides a number of epistemological and methodological ref lections on modeling and simulation through system dynamics and the sp ecial type of knowledge provided by system dynamics models. Our princi pal concern will be to analyze the sense in which system dynamics mode ls endeavour to grasp or represent relevant aspects of reality. Two ma in perspectives have tended to be advanced with regard to this topic: the naive realism linked to philosophies of science, such as those of logical positivism and critical rationalism, and the relativism which emerged from the crisis of said philosophies. We will try to show that some recent epistemological proposals are able to offer a new third w ay that lies between naive realism and relativism. In particular, the ''internal realism'' of Hilary Putnam is able to fit many of the featu res of system dynamics, especially the important role mental models pl ay in it.