Epistemological Significance of Models in Science
9
models is most intimatelv associated with the process of human knowledge,
the evolution which the theory of cognition has recently undergone
certainly also underlines the importance of applying models in a manner
which is both governed by reason and continuitv and directed towards the
aim of universal recognition. The freedom to invent models, which nevertheless remain useful for recognizing "reality", supports the assumption
("hypothesis" in the true sense of the word) expressed by critical philosophy
that things-in-themselves are only comprehended insofar as they are established in the human mind.
References
1. BERTALANFFY, L. VON: Br. J. Phil. Sci. 1, 134 (1950).
2. BLAHA, 0.: Die Ontologie Kants. Salzburg-Miinchen: Pustet 1967.
3. BREMERMANN, H. J.: The evolution of intelligence, Techn. Rep. No 1, Contr.
Nonr 477(17), Dept. ""lath., liniv. Washingt. Seattle 5, Wash.: July 1958.
4. FREY, G.: Synthese 12, 213 (1960).
5. HALL, A. D., and R. E. FAGE:--J: Gen. Syst. 1, 18 (1956).
6. KLIR, J.: Gen. Svst. 10, 29 (1965).
7. LEINFELLNER, W.: Struktur und Aufbau wissenschaftlicher Theorien. Wien
Wiirzburg: Physica 1965.
8. ~lESAROVIC, t\l. D.: In: MESAROVIC, M. D. (Ed.), Views on General Systems
Theon', p. 1. New York: John Wiley & Sons 1964.
9. MILLER, J. G.: Perspect. BioI. Med. 9, 107 (1965).
10. PEIRCE, c:. S.: cited from: BENSE, M., Grundl.studien Kybern. Geisteswiss.
4, 12 (1963).
11. ROSEN, R.: Bull. Math. Biophys. 21, 387 (1959).
12. STACHOWIAK, H.: Studium Generale 18, 432 (1965).
13. STAHL, W. R.: Perspect. Bioi. Med. 8,373 (1965).
lJiscussion
ROSEN:
A complete development of VON NEUMANN'S tesselation models for selfreproduction has been made by ARTHUR BURKS, in a recently published book.
This has been modified by a number of authors, especially APTER and ARBIB, to
give the beginnings of a theory of automata in which development is possible,
reminiscent of embrvological development, at least in a metaphorical sense.
GRIFFITH:
In connection with self-replicatings systems, I should like to draw the attention
of the symposium to the very simple mechanical models put forward by PENROSE (1.. S.) and PENROSE (R), Nature 179, 1183 (1957). I showed recently
(GRIFFITH, J. S., Nature 215, 1043 (1967)), that a logically very similar kind of
model could be constructed using protein subunits as components.
R. FISCHER:
I am most grateful to Dr. LOCKER for the stimulation he has provided with
his masterful lecture. Within our Aristotelian, binary (two-valued) ontology,
9
models is most intimatelv associated with the process of human knowledge,
the evolution which the theory of cognition has recently undergone
certainly also underlines the importance of applying models in a manner
which is both governed by reason and continuitv and directed towards the
aim of universal recognition. The freedom to invent models, which nevertheless remain useful for recognizing "reality", supports the assumption
("hypothesis" in the true sense of the word) expressed by critical philosophy
that things-in-themselves are only comprehended insofar as they are established in the human mind.
References
1. BERTALANFFY, L. VON: Br. J. Phil. Sci. 1, 134 (1950).
2. BLAHA, 0.: Die Ontologie Kants. Salzburg-Miinchen: Pustet 1967.
3. BREMERMANN, H. J.: The evolution of intelligence, Techn. Rep. No 1, Contr.
Nonr 477(17), Dept. ""lath., liniv. Washingt. Seattle 5, Wash.: July 1958.
4. FREY, G.: Synthese 12, 213 (1960).
5. HALL, A. D., and R. E. FAGE:--J: Gen. Syst. 1, 18 (1956).
6. KLIR, J.: Gen. Svst. 10, 29 (1965).
7. LEINFELLNER, W.: Struktur und Aufbau wissenschaftlicher Theorien. Wien
Wiirzburg: Physica 1965.
8. ~lESAROVIC, t\l. D.: In: MESAROVIC, M. D. (Ed.), Views on General Systems
Theon', p. 1. New York: John Wiley & Sons 1964.
9. MILLER, J. G.: Perspect. BioI. Med. 9, 107 (1965).
10. PEIRCE, c:. S.: cited from: BENSE, M., Grundl.studien Kybern. Geisteswiss.
4, 12 (1963).
11. ROSEN, R.: Bull. Math. Biophys. 21, 387 (1959).
12. STACHOWIAK, H.: Studium Generale 18, 432 (1965).
13. STAHL, W. R.: Perspect. Bioi. Med. 8,373 (1965).
lJiscussion
ROSEN:
A complete development of VON NEUMANN'S tesselation models for selfreproduction has been made by ARTHUR BURKS, in a recently published book.
This has been modified by a number of authors, especially APTER and ARBIB, to
give the beginnings of a theory of automata in which development is possible,
reminiscent of embrvological development, at least in a metaphorical sense.
GRIFFITH:
In connection with self-replicatings systems, I should like to draw the attention
of the symposium to the very simple mechanical models put forward by PENROSE (1.. S.) and PENROSE (R), Nature 179, 1183 (1957). I showed recently
(GRIFFITH, J. S., Nature 215, 1043 (1967)), that a logically very similar kind of
model could be constructed using protein subunits as components.
R. FISCHER:
I am most grateful to Dr. LOCKER for the stimulation he has provided with
his masterful lecture. Within our Aristotelian, binary (two-valued) ontology,