Models and Idealizations
in Normative Inquiry

Models make complex problems tractable by isolating some features of reality and setting others aside. Normative models go further: rather than merely describing or predicting behavior, they use idealized agents and scenarios to help determine what ought to be done. This creates a distinctive philosophical puzzle. If the agents and situations represented in a model differ from their real-world targets, why should the model's conclusions guide actual decisions?

The philosophical literature has traditionally treated models as descriptive tools for representing, explaining, or predicting the world. Only recently, however, has attention turned to the normative roles they can play.