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Full Idea
Cartwright objects that the claim that theories represent what happens in actual situations is to overlook that the concepts used in them (such as 'force functions' and 'Hamiltonians') are abstract.
Gist of Idea
Theories can never represent accurately, because their components are abstract
Source
report of Nancy Cartwright (The Dappled World [1999]) by Demetris Portides - Models 'Current'
Book Ref
'Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science', ed/tr. Psillos,S/Curd,M [Routledge 2010], p.393
A Reaction
I'm not convinced by this. The term 'abstract' is too loose. In a sense most words are abstract because they are universals. If I say 'that's a cat', that is a very accurate remark, despite the generality of 'cat'.