ISIA L1 C1 S4

The Necessity of Using Models/Metaphors

All models are metaphors. We treat a complex world as if it was a simple object, because we can understand and manipulate it. This process is dangerous, because our models are ALWAYS WRONG -- no model can capture the full complexity of the world. The picture show two approximations -- one is to approximate our world as a sphere, when in fact it is only ROUGHLY shaped like a sphere. Second approximation is to FLATTEN the sphere onto a piece a paper, which will obviously distort the spherical shape.

WHY SHOULD WE DO THIS? Why work with OBVIOUSLY FALSE models? The answer is that it is necessary. Our minds are not sufficiently powerful to grasp reality in its full complexity. So to understand and manipulate reality, we must create simplified models.