Debate on the nature of representation in cognitive systems tends to oscillate between robustly realist views and various anti-realist options. I defend an alternative view, deflationary realism, which sees cognitive representation as an offshoot of the extended application to cognitive systems of an explanatory model whose primary domain is public representation use. This extended application, justified by a common explanatory target, embodies idealisations, partial mismatches between model and reality. By seeing representation as part of an idealised model, deflationary realism avoids the problems with robust realist views, while keeping allegiance to realism.

中文翻译：

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紧缩现实主义：认知科学中的表征和理想化

关于认知系统中表征本质的争论往往在稳健的现实主义观点和各种反现实主义选项之间摇摆不定。我捍卫另一种观点，即紧缩现实主义，它将认知表征视为解释模型在认知系统中的扩展应用的一个分支，该模型的主要领域是公共表征使用。这种扩展的应用，由一个共同的解释目标证明，体现了理想化，模型与现实之间的部分不匹配。通过将代表视为理想化模型的一部分，紧缩现实主义避免了稳健的现实主义观点的问题，同时保持对现实主义的忠诚。