Dealing with Molecular Complexity. Atomistic Computer Simulations and Scientific Explanation
| Autor: | Julie Schweer, Marcus Elstner |
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| Rok vydání: | 2023 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Perspectives on Science. :1-37 |
| ISSN: | 1530-9274 1063-6145 |
| Popis: | Explanation is commonly considered as one of the central goals of science. Although computer simulations have become an important tool in many scientific areas, various philosophical worries indicate that their explanatory power requires further scrutiny. We examine a case study in which atomistic simulations have been used to identify the driving forces responsible for the transport selectivity of certain channel proteins located at cell membranes. By elucidating how precisely atomistic simulations helped scientists to draw inferences about the phenomenon under investigation, we respond to some concerns regarding their explanatory power. We argue that atomistic simulations explain by uncovering difference-making factors and systematically reducing complexity. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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