Re: A whiff of reality...

[Doug Donalson]

Here is a reference I ran across when writing the final chapter of my
dissertation.

Rykiel, E.J., 1996. Testing ecological models: the meaning of validation.
Ecol. Model. 90, 229-244.

Although the it is about "validation", at least it's a whack at applying a
structure to one of these problems.  I have had several (actually, many more
than several) arguments with my advisor and other committee members about
including "verification" procedures in at least in a paper appendix.  The
general feeling is that this would be like experimentalists including
details of instrument calibration procedures.  (Ecologists make Joe Friday
look like a light weight with "Just the facts, ma'am".  Nothing but that
which is essential for the development of the idea in the paper should be
included, and model testing, at this point is considered a distraction.)  I
personally don't agree until we have verification methods as well
delinieated as those for experimental instruments.  (Of course, in all
cases, you still have to apply the methods.)

Maybe it would be useful if some of us put together the methods we use to
test our models and maybe some examples.  I started writing some of my stuff
up as part of my dissertation but the work has been sidetracked.  After my
defense, scheduled for June 29, I will resurect them.  I am also working on
some stuff related to time vs. event driven schedules and choices of
statistical distributions.  (Also mostly on hold until after 6/29.)

Cheers,

   D3
----- Original Message -----
From: glen e. p. ropella <address@hidden>
To: <address@hidden>
Sent: Monday, May 01, 2000 9:34 PM
Subject: Re: A whiff of reality...


> At 07:43 PM 5/1/00 -0700, you wrote:
> >However, to stick with computer issues, who has scholarly citations on
> >software engineering aspects of ABMs? A real help might even be a
> >software engineering text that discusses testing and reliability of
> >object-oriented models.
>
> There are plenty.  The ACM is full of these.  CMU is full of them.
> What we need is something more specific.  It *is* a point of contention
> whether the model survives bugs in the implementation (where "model"
> basically means "logical abstraction").  Since the map between a
> specification and an implementation is not usually one-to-one,
> it's entirely possible that changes on one side do not affect
> the behavior on the other side.  But, this guy is pointing out that
> they often do.
>
> The software engineering name for this process is "verification"
> as distinct from validation.  And as Doug and Marcus pointed out,
> any general programming language, including ObjC and Java will
> exhibit a need for verification.  This is also the basis for using
> languages built upon formalisms like the pi calculus, so that
> verfication becomes mechanical and automated.  But, attaching
> oneself to a formalism fundamentally limits the expressiveness
> of the language.  So, it's a trade-off.
>
> I would be happy to collect some academic articles on verification
> in abms.  It will take me awhile, though; because, there's so much
> out there that you really need to be specific about the point you're
> making to get beyond the basic simulation references.
>
> glen
>
> --
> glen e. p. ropella =><= The front line is everywhere. Hail Eris!
> Home: http://forager.swarm.com/~gepr              (505) 424-0448
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>
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