ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to stop a certain group of people from having so much fun. The group in question are those who produce toy models of social phenomena-that is, models that are really useful only in the sense they are good for playing with. It aims to do this in two different ways: fi rst, by re-examining the criteria under which such models are judged and, second, by reviewing the weaknesses of numerical representation (including some of the problems it exasperates). In this way I hope to help dispel the “number blindness” that seems to play a part in allowing such toy models to escape the criticism they deserve. It is fun making models and playing with them; it can help train our intuition. However, if we are to make real progress in producing useful models of observed social phenomena (e.g., that of exchange), then a more critical and careful approach is called for.
