Epistemological perspectives on simulation: overview and introduction

摘要

This special issue of CMOT presents selected papers from the fourth edition of EPOS, a biennial workshop on Epistemological Perspectives on Simulation. Much like its predecessors it was an interdisciplinary forum for researchers who were interested in discussing epistemological aspects of simulation across disciplinary boundaries. Represented disciplines included social sciences, economics, computer science, engineering and the natural sciences. The series of EPOS workshops is based on the understanding that simulation is an epistemologically delicate method and that reflecting on its epistemological status fosters its progress. This assumption is not only supported by the continuing series of workshops since the first EPOS workshop in 2004, but also by the increasing interest in the philosophy of simulation (e.g., Humphreys 2004; Winsberg 2010). As the method is still relatively young-especially in the social sciences (see Meyer et al. 2009 for a bibliometric assessment of social simulation), such reflection can even be considered as necessary for establishing good practices and clear standards.