 Agent-Based Models and Simulations in Economics and Social Sciences: From Conceptual Exploration to Distinct Ways of ExperimentingDenis Phan () and Franck Varenne Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 2010, vol. 13, issue 1, 5 Abstract: Now that complex Agent-Based Models and computer simulations spread over economics and social sciences - as in most sciences of complex systems -, epistemological puzzles (re)emerge. We introduce new epistemological concepts so as to show to what extent authors are right when they focus on some empirical, instrumental or conceptual significance of their model or simulation. By distinguishing between models and simulations, between types of models, between types of computer simulations and between types of empiricity obtained through a simulation, section 2 gives the possibility to understand more precisely - and then to justify - the diversity of the epistemological positions presented in section 1. Our final claim is that careful attention to the multiplicity of the denotational powers of symbols at stake in complex models and computer simulations is necessary to determine, in each case, their proper epistemic status and credibility. Keywords: Agent-Based Models and Simulations; Epistemology; Economics; Social Sciences; Conceptual Exploration; Model World; Credible World; Experiment; Denotational Hierarchy (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:jas:jasssj:2009-23-2 Access Statistics for this article More articles in Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation from Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation |
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