Understanding MABS and Social Simulation: Switching Between Languages in a Hierarchy of Levels

This paper suggests procedures for decreasing misunderstanding between modellers in social simulation, aiming at helping modellers comprehending a certain phenomena from different perspectives, being aware of the relativity of each approach, and drawing conclusions from the different perspectives. A hierarchy of four levels of language, namely, cultural or natural language, modelling and theoretical paradigm, modelling language, and simulation programming language, is proposed and exemplified as a framework for examining simulation models - assumptions of language embedded in the model at each level are made explicit. Afterwards, switching between languages is suggested for achieving different interpretations and alternative explanations of a model; alongside, as a synthesis from different interpretations, to draw in an interpretive conclusion is suggested. In addition, Interpretive Systemology, a soft systems approach, is proposed as another innovative alternative for better understanding social simulation models, as it recommends undertaking the whole modelling process from different perspectives. The hierarchy of languages, and switching between languages, will be placed against the whole modelling process as understood by Edmonds (2000).