[lisper]

> You don't think that a model is something abstract?

They certainly can be, but they don't have to be. An orrery, for example, is not abstract.

> whether or not something is a model depends in some way on human minds

Well, yeah, but what exactly is that "some way"? That is exactly the complication I was trying to avoid.

Maybe the word "model" is too loaded and I need to pick a different word. I'm open to suggestions.