Fiction and Philosophy of Science: Paired Readings for the Science Classroom

Writings that allow the reader to consider ideas in the sciences from different perspectives are of value both to students of the sciences and students from other disciplines. The construction and validation of models are central to knowledge generation in the sciences. Therefore it is worthwhile to spend time in the classroom developing student understanding of what models are, their usefulness, and their limitations. In this context, I suggest three texts that can complement a discussion on scientific models-two translated pieces of fiction by Jorge Luis Borges, Funes the Memorious (1942) and On Exactitude in Science (1946), and a philosophical essay by Arturo Rosenblueth and Norbert Wiener, The Role of Models in Science (1945).