Even when the relational cut has vanished, models can appear coherent, effective, and authoritative. This structural rescue is not a miracle of epistemic insight but a product of internal consistency, institutional alignment, and social reinforcement.
Models maintain functionality internally: simulations reproduce themselves, predictions match expectations within the model framework, and communities converge on interpretations. Authority is sustained through repetition, consensus, and technical complexity. To an observer within the system, the model appears robust, predictive, and deeply connected to reality.
Yet this coherence is an illusion from a relational perspective. The model’s outputs are not grounded in phenomena beyond the model itself. Internal consistency and structural elegance are mistaken for empirical fidelity. The relational cut remains absent; the model is still a theory of possible instances, not the world itself.
This structural pattern recurs across domains. Physics, climate science, economics, and AI all demonstrate instances where models operate effectively and authoritatively, even while the cut with the real world is missing. The consequence is subtle but profound: authority and credibility are maintained structurally rather than relationally.
Recognising this dynamic is the culmination of the series. It shows that vanishing cuts are not mere errors; they are systematic, diagnosable phenomena. Understanding them equips practitioners to interpret models more carefully, question assumptions, and remain aware of the distinction between possibility and reality, preserving the essential relational cut for meaningful engagement.
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