Engineers Need to Get Real, But Can't: The Role of Models

摘要

Engineers routinely use conceptual, mathematical, and computational models in their work, and sometimes physical models as well. These models serve as heuristic tools which from objectively real or 'imagined' (yet to be built) engineering systems to represent them incompletely and inaccurately, with the extent of inaccuracy often being substantially uncertain. The modeling process is also heavily shaped by the background knowledge, creativity, goals, and preferences of engineers, thus incorporating a subjective aspect which involves a variety of unconscious biases that can adversely affect models. This paper explores the nature and implications of modeling in engineering, mainly at a philosophical level, and also offers practical modeling suggestions derived from this exploration.