Data models, representation and adequacy-for-purpose

Abstract We critically engage two traditional views of scientific data and outline a novel philosophical view that we call the pragmatic-representational (PR) . On PR view, are representations product process inquiry, they should be evaluated in terms their adequacy or fitness for particular purposes. Some important implications assessment, related to misrepresentation, context-sensitivity, complementary use, highlighted. The provides insight into common but little-discussed practices iteratively reusing repurposing data, which result many datasets’ having phylogeny—an origin complex evolutionary history—that is relevant evaluation future use. relate these insights open-data data-rescue movements, highlight several avenues research build on data.