Mechanisms of the mind: interest and importance and model building

Once a model is constructed, it has a life and working of its own. With a model, you put the pieces together and learn from what happens. A model is a method of transferring some relationship or process from its actual setting to a setting where it is more conveniently studied. In a model, relationships and processes are preserved unchanged though the things that are being related may be changed. All models involve the transformation of relationship from their original setting into another. Once the transformation has been made, then the relationship within the model itself indicates what can happen.