Computers are often used to make models or simulations of real or imagined entities and phenomena. In fact, many computer scientists contend that this is really what computers fundamentally are: modeling systems.

Computer software programs model objects and events from reality. Microsoft Windows and Macintosh OS are both operating systems that model a desktop for the user. This idea of the desktop becomes the governing software metaphor that determines how a user interacts with the computer.

Likewise, a word processor operates according to a model of text production. However, the word processor also imposes this model: a user must learn this model and must work within the constraints of this model in order to produce text with this software.

Consider the information system of a college registrar's office. Here, a certain model of a student operates. The data tracked for each student models only those aspects of a student that are deemed relevant to the tasks of registration, assigning grades, determining graduation status, etc. Certainly, there is more to each student than is represented in this model; it is, indeed, a very narrow model of a student. Still, this model is the one according to which this particular information system is programmed to operate.

Consider also the models and viewpoints a player enters into alliance with when playing such a game as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider—and, moreover, when a player performs a "game hack" of those models (e.g., altering Lara's appearance).

The force of the computer as a modeling system can be easily missed and, thus, can prove to be insidious. Computer models are inevitably reductive, and if they are misinterpreted, they can lead to disastrous decision-making.

These pages were written by Jeffrey L. Nyhoff and Steven H. VanderLeest and edited by Nancy Zylstra
© 2005 Calvin University (formerly Calvin College), All Rights Reserved.

If you encounter technical errors, contact computing@calvin.edu.