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| 17503 | Theories can never represent accurately, because their components are abstract [Cartwright,N, by Portides] |
| 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. | |
| From: report of Nancy Cartwright (The Dappled World [1999]) by Demetris Portides - Models 'Current' | |
| 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'. |