Model-Based Reasoning in Science and Technology

This book contains contributions presented during the international conference on Model-Based Reasoning (MBR´012), held on June 21-23 in Sestri Levante, Italy.  Interdisciplinary researchers discuss in this volume how scientific cognition and other kinds of cognition make use of models, abduction, and explanatory reasoning in order to produce important or creative changes in theories and concepts. Some of the contributions analyzed the problem of model-based reasoning in technology and stressed the issues of scientific and technological innovation. The book is divided in three main parts: models, mental models, representations; abduction, problem solving and practical reasoning; historical, epistemological and technological issues.