During the first part of the project (month 1-6) I completed the first research objective, which was that of learning about the main issues raised by scientific representation. To this aim I surveyed the existent literature on the nature of scientific models and the analogy with fiction. I wrote two research papers (one on fictionalism about models and the problem of comparative claims and one on scientific models as representations) and I edited a special volume of The Monist on Scientific Fiction Making. Furthermore, I attended the PH400 course Philosophy of Science and I taught the PH203 course Philosophy of the Social Sciences. As part of my complementary training I attended the LSE Research Division induction courses. I worked in constant collaboration with Prof Roman Frigg (the supervisor), Jane Ellison ((project administrator at the LSE Research Division), and Laura O'Keefe (Centre Manager at CPNSS) for the administration of the grant.
During the second part of the project (month 7-12) I addressed the project's second research objective, which was that of studying the specific cognitive function of models. I surveyed the existent literature on the nature of model-based reasoning and the existent literature on the nature of propositional imagination, I learned about the issues raised by model-based reasoning through regular meetings with Prof Frigg and I acquired advanced interdisciplinary competence on the different styles of model-based reasoning. I co-authored a paper with Prof Frigg on the scientific imagination and I organised a workshop on Imagination and Epistemic Representations.
During the third part of the project (months 13-18) I worked on the project's third research objective, which was that of defending fictionalism about models. To this aim I surveyed the existent literature on scientific representation and gathered the existent arguments against fictionalism about models. I wrote three papers (one co-authored with Prof Frigg on fictionalism about models, one single-authored paper on fictionally modelling reality and one single-authored review paper on explanatory models). I also obtained the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, a professional developmental programme taught at the LSE, and became an Associate Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.
During the fourth part of the project (months 19-24) I worked on the project's fourth research objective, which was to unite the results and observations obtained in the previous parts of the project. I discussed the main issues raised by the general theory of model-based reasoning with Prof Frigg, I compared and exchanged views with project collaborators and consultants about the issues at stake. I further developed advanced interdisciplinary skills by applying the results obtained in the previous phases to the specific examples of scientific models previously selected and analysed. I wrote two more papers (one co-authored with Prof Frigg and Dr James Nguyen on How models denote, and one single-authored paper on model-based discovery). I also taught a course in Philosophy of Social Science (PH203) and I have been invited to each one postgraduate workshop in Qualitative Methods (MY530) at the LSE. I organised a conference on Bridging the Gap: Scientific Imagination Meets Aesthetic Imagination with my colleague Mike Stuart and I prepared and submitted an application to an ERC Starting grant to be hosted at the University of Munich (Germany).
