Models and structures: Phenomenological and partial

In a recent paper, Suárez and Cartwright (2008) return to the example of London and London's construction of a model for superconductivity and raise a number of concerns against the account of this construction presented in French and Ladyman (1997) and elsewhere. In this discussion note, we examine the challenge they raised and offer our responses.

► A defense of the partial structures approach against Suárez and Cartwright (2008) criticisms. ► A discussion of the status of phenomenological models in the London account. ► An examination of the senses of autonomy of models in theory construction. ► A defense of a form of structuralism in philosophy of science.