Mathematical models in biology

Jacques Ricard

Käty Ricard

pp. 299-304

in: Evandro Agazzi, György Darvas (eds), Philosophy of mathematics today, Berlin, Springer, 1997

Abstract

This contribution is centered on theoretical models in Biology. A theoretical biophysicist, Lee Segel [1984], compared a model to a painting of Picasso. A painting of a goat that does not look like a goat, but embodies the main features of this animal and in a sense looks more like a "goat" than a real goat.