A model is a simplified representation of a complex system. Models
can help us study phenomena which are hard to see, and they
can let us try experiments which we could not, or would not, conduct
in the real world. There is a common
saying in science that "All models are wrong, but some are useful."
Some models are conceptual--just are a way of thinking about something.
But computers have transformed how we do science by enabling computational models.
We can set up a model and then have the computer run it!
In this unit, we are going to explore and develop a few different models of disease.
If a model is going to be useful, it must help us answer some questions. Let's start
by making a list of questions we have about disesases. For example:
Why do some people get sick when other people do not?
Why are some diseases more contagious than others?
Why does "flu season" start? If the flu is so contagious, why does "flu season"
ever end?
There are many possible ways of modeling disease. The model we used today was very unrealistic.
What are some ways we could extend the model? Can you think of alternative ways of modeling disease spread?