Science Analysis Template
These are the structural patterns found across all Scientific Disciplines
Carrier / Substance
This table specifies what carries macroeconomic aggregation and motion. At this level, the carrier is neither an individual nor a single interaction, but a system-level aggregate capable of holding stocks, flows, regimes, and trajectories through time. Each binary fixes a distinct form the macro system itself may take, establishing the substrate on which growth, cycles, crises, and transitions are later analyzed.
SAT – Domain – Categories – Unified Ontological Binary Matrix – Carrier / Substance – Aggregation & Dynamics (Macroeconomic Systems)
| Binary Class | First State Name | First State Definition | First State Examples | Second State Name | Second State Definition | Second State Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / Macro | Sector / Region Aggregate | A bounded aggregate that carries macro variables for a subset of the economy. | housing sector output; regional employment | National / System Aggregate | The economy treated as a single coupled carrier of aggregates. | GDP level; national inflation |
| Discrete / Continuous | Regime Carrier | A carrier defined by membership in a finite set of macro regimes. | recession vs expansion; fixed vs floating regime | Flow Carrier | A carrier defined by continuously varying macro magnitudes. | growth rate; inflation path |
| Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium | Balanced-Flow Carrier | Aggregate inflows and outflows are mutually consistent at the system level. | steady growth path; stable debt ratio | Imbalance Carrier | Aggregate inconsistencies generate adjustment pressures over time. | output gap; balance-of-payments stress |
| Open / Closed | Open-Economy System | The macro carrier includes cross-border flows and external constraints. | capital inflows; trade balance dynamics | Closed-Economy System | The macro carrier excludes external exchange by construction. | autarky growth model; closed IS-LM |
| Deterministic / Stochastic | Rule-Path Carrier | Aggregate evolution follows a deterministic path given rules and initial conditions. | Solow convergence; rule-based fiscal path | Shock-Bearing Carrier | Aggregate evolution incorporates random disturbances. | technology shock; demand shock |
| Local / Global | Partial Aggregate Carrier | Macro variables defined over a limited subset of markets or balances. | labor slack with stable prices; housing boom | Fully Coupled Carrier | Aggregates are jointly constrained across the entire system. | general macro equilibrium; economy-wide contraction |
| Linear / Nonlinear | Incremental-Response Carrier | Small disturbances produce proportionate macro responses. | gradual disinflation; slow recovery | Phase-Shift Carrier | Small disturbances trigger discontinuous systemic change. | crisis onset; sudden stop |
| Classical / Quantum | Rule-Anchored System | Aggregate behavior governed by stable structural relations and policy rules. | classical growth regime; Taylor-rule system | Expectation-Sensitive System | Aggregate behavior hinges on belief coordination and expectation shifts. | self-fulfilling inflation; confidence collapse |
Together, the entries show that macro behavior depends critically on which system is doing the carrying—sectoral versus national, regime-based versus flow-based, rule-anchored versus expectation-sensitive. Treating all aggregates as interchangeable obscures why some economies adjust smoothly while others fracture abruptly. By explicitly typing the macro carrier, this matrix ensures that dynamic analysis remains grounded in the correct system structure rather than inferred loosely from lower-level phenomena.
State / Phase
This table classifies macroeconomic states as momentary configurations of an economy viewed at the system level. Unlike choice (individual decisions) or interaction (mutual strategic relations), aggregation & dynamics concerns emergent conditions produced by many interactions unfolding over time—output, employment, inflation, growth, contraction, and transition. Each binary specifies how a macro system can be situated or behave at a given moment, independent of the micro paths that generated it.
SAT – Domain – Categories – Unified Ontological Binary Matrix – State / Phase – Aggregation & Dynamics (Macroeconomic Systems)
| Binary Class | First State Name | First State Definition | First State Examples | Second State Name | Second State Definition | Second State Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / Macro | Sectoral Configuration | The instantaneous condition of a subset of the economy, defined by aggregated variables within a sector or region. | manufacturing output level; regional unemployment rate | Economy-Wide Configuration | The instantaneous condition of the entire economy as a single coupled system. | national GDP level; economy-wide inflation rate |
| Discrete / Continuous | Regime State | A macro condition defined by membership in a finite set of qualitatively distinct regimes. | recession vs expansion; high- vs low-inflation regime | Flow State | A macro condition defined by continuously varying aggregates. | real GDP growth rate; inflation trajectory |
| Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium | Balanced Macro State | Aggregate flows are mutually consistent, with no internal pressure for large-scale adjustment. | steady growth path; stable inflation with clearing markets | Transitional Macro State | Aggregate flows are inconsistent, generating adjustment dynamics over time. | post-crisis recovery; disinflation episode |
| Open / Closed | Open Economy State | The macro system is materially affected by cross-border flows of goods, capital, or labor. | capital inflow–driven boom; trade-balance adjustment | Closed Economy State | The macro system is modeled without external economic exchange. | autarky growth model; closed-economy IS–LM |
| Deterministic / Stochastic | Shock-Driven State | Aggregate outcomes reflect realized random shocks to technology, policy, or demand. | productivity shock recession; demand shock inflation | Path-Determined State | Aggregate outcomes follow a deterministic trajectory given initial conditions and policy rules. | Solow steady-state convergence; deterministic debt path |
| Local / Global | Partial Aggregate State | Macroeconomic conditions defined over a subset of aggregates or markets. | labor-market slack with stable prices; housing boom | System-Wide Aggregate State | Conditions where aggregates are jointly constrained and mutually dependent. | general macro equilibrium; economy-wide contraction |
| Linear / Nonlinear | Incremental Adjustment State | Small changes in inputs produce proportionate changes in aggregate outcomes. | gradual disinflation; slow growth acceleration | Phase-Shift State | Small changes trigger large, discontinuous macro responses. | financial crisis onset; sudden stop |
| Classical / Quantum | Rule-Governed State | Aggregate dynamics follow stable behavioral relations and policy rules. | classical growth path; Taylor-rule regime | Expectation-Sensitive State | Aggregate outcomes depend critically on belief coordination and expectation shifts. | self-fulfilling inflation spiral; confidence-driven recession |
This matrix shows that macroeconomic conditions are not just scaled-up interactions, but distinct system states with their own stability properties, failure modes, and transition mechanisms. Some states evolve smoothly; others flip abruptly. Some are anchored by rules; others hinge on expectations. By typing macro states explicitly, this table prevents the common error of treating growth, recessions, or crises as mere aggregates of micro behavior, establishing aggregation & dynamics as a domain with its own ontological structure.
Process / Event
This table classifies system-level change over time in macroeconomic settings. The focus is on how aggregated variables move, stabilize, or rupture once individual choices and interactions have already been subsumed into system behavior. Each binary isolates a structurally distinct mode of macro motion—by scale, continuity, stability, openness, uncertainty, scope, responsiveness, and expectation sensitivity.
SAT – Domain – Categories – Unified Ontological Binary Matrix – Process / Event – Aggregation & Dynamics (Macroeconomic Systems)
| Binary Class | First State Name | First State Definition | First State Examples | Second State Name | Second State Definition | Second State Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / Macro | Sectoral Motion Pattern | Time-ordered change confined to a subset of aggregates tied to a sector or region. | housing slowdown; manufacturing rebound | Economy-Level Motion Pattern | Time-ordered change spanning coupled aggregates across the entire system. | nationwide recession; synchronized expansion |
| Discrete / Continuous | Regime Transition | Change occurs via jumps between qualitatively distinct system modes. | expansion → recession; peg → float | Aggregate Drift | Change proceeds through smooth variation of system-wide magnitudes. | gradual disinflation; steady growth acceleration |
| Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium | Stabilized Trajectory | Aggregate movements dampen deviations and settle into a self-consistent path. | steady-state growth; stable debt ratio | Adjustment Trajectory | Aggregate movements reflect persistent imbalances driving correction. | output gap closure; balance-of-payments correction |
| Open / Closed | Externally Coupled Motion | System evolution is materially influenced by cross-border flows. | capital inflow boom; trade shock transmission | Internally Driven Motion | System evolution is modeled without external exchange. | closed-economy IS–LM adjustment |
| Deterministic / Stochastic | Rule-Implied Path | Given initial conditions and rules, the evolution follows a unique path. | Solow convergence; rule-based fiscal glidepath | Shock-Responsive Path | Random disturbances materially alter the evolution of aggregates. | productivity shock cycle; demand shock inflation |
| Local / Global | Partial-System Realignment | Change concentrated in a subset of aggregates with limited spillover. | housing correction with stable prices | Fully Coupled Realignment | Change propagates across interdependent aggregates system-wide. | economy-wide contraction; synchronized boom |
| Linear / Nonlinear | Incremental Response | Small disturbances produce proportionate aggregate responses. | gradual tightening effects | Phase Shift | Small disturbances trigger abrupt, discontinuous system change. | crisis onset; sudden stop |
| Classical / Quantum | Rule-Anchored Evolution | System behavior governed by stable structural relations and policy rules. | classical growth regime; Taylor-rule dynamics | Expectation-Driven Evolution | System behavior hinges on shifts in collective beliefs. | confidence collapse; self-fulfilling inflation spiral |
Read together, the entries show that macroeconomic change is not a single process called “the business cycle,” but a family of distinct dynamic forms. Some trajectories dampen and settle; others propagate and fracture. Some respond incrementally; others flip regimes. By fixing these forms explicitly, the table prevents treating all recessions, recoveries, and crises as variations of the same phenomenon and anchors macro dynamics to the correct system behavior.
Structure / Configuration
This table fixes the structural substrate of the macroeconomy—the objects and arrangements that exist at the system level before any motion, shocks, or policy responses are considered. The focus is on what is present and how it is configured: sector blocks, accounting layouts, state spaces, boundaries, and constraint geometries. Each binary isolates a distinct way the macro system can be organized, independent of time paths or behavioral adjustment.
SAT – Domain – Categories – Unified Ontological Binary Matrix – Structure / Configuration – Aggregation & Dynamics (Macroeconomic Systems)
| Binary Class | First State Name | First State Definition | First State Examples | Second State Name | Second State Definition | Second State Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / Macro | Sector Block | A structurally distinct portion of the economy defined by shared function or classification. | household sector; government sector; financial sector | Economy Block | The economy treated as a single integrated structural unit. | national accounts system; whole-economy balance sheet |
| Discrete / Continuous | Regime Partition | A configuration divided into qualitatively distinct system states. | recession vs expansion classification; monetary regime categories | State Space | A configuration defined over continuous aggregate dimensions. | inflation–output space; debt–growth space |
| Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium | Stock–Flow Consistent Layout | A configuration where accounting identities and constraints close without contradiction. | closed national accounts; balanced sectoral flows | Stock–Flow Inconsistent Layout | A configuration containing unresolved accounting or constraint mismatches. | sectoral deficit overhang; external imbalance structure |
| Open / Closed | Externally Linked Configuration | A structure whose aggregates are coupled to external economic systems. | trade-linked national accounts; capital-flow exposure | Self-Contained Configuration | A structure defined without external economic linkage. | closed-economy accounting system |
| Deterministic / Stochastic | Fixed-Relation Configuration | A structure fully specified by fixed identities and relations. | accounting identity network; balance sheet structure | Uncertainty-Admitting Configuration | A structure that includes formally unspecified or variable components. | expectation-sensitive accounting blocks; contingent liabilities |
| Local / Global | Partial Aggregate Layout | A configuration describing a subset of system aggregates. | labor-market block; housing-market block | System-Wide Layout | A configuration in which all aggregates are jointly defined. | full macro accounting matrix |
| Linear / Nonlinear | Additive Constraint Geometry | A structure where aggregate relations combine proportionally. | linear accounting identities | Constraint-Bound Geometry | A structure embedding limits, ceilings, or binding thresholds. | debt ceilings; capacity constraints |
| Classical / Quantum | Expectation-Neutral Structure | A configuration defined independently of belief coordination. | classical national accounting layout | Expectation-Embedded Structure | A configuration whose form depends on shared expectations. | credibility-dependent monetary structure |
Read together, the entries make clear that macro dynamics are constrained by prior structure. Accounting closure, boundary conditions, coupling, and constraint geometry determine which trajectories are even possible and which failures can occur. By locking these configurations explicitly, the analysis prevents dynamic stories from smuggling in incompatible structures and provides a disciplined base on which motion, shocks, and policy can later be layered without category error.
System / Assembly
This table specifies the conditions under which a macroeconomic system coheres as a whole. The focus is on accounting closure, boundary definition, and constraint satisfaction at the aggregate level—what must structurally hold for an economy to be intelligible as a single system. Each binary isolates a distinct way coherence can be achieved or fail, independent of behavioral adjustment or time-path narratives.
SAT – Domain – Categories – Unified Ontological Binary Matrix – System / Assembly – Aggregation & Dynamics (Macroeconomic Systems)
| Binary Class | First State Name | First State Definition | First State Examples | Second State Name | Second State Definition | Second State Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / Macro | Sectoral Closure | System coherence achieved by closing accounting identities and constraints within a bounded sector, independent of other sectors. | household balance block; government budget block | Whole-System Closure | System coherence achieved only when identities and constraints close simultaneously across all sectors. | national accounts; flow-of-funds matrix |
| Discrete / Continuous | Regime Partition | Coherence imposed by classifying the system into one of a finite set of qualitatively distinct macro states. | recession/expansion labels; exchange-rate regimes | Continuous State Space | Coherence defined over a continuous domain of aggregate magnitudes and ratios. | inflation–output plane; debt-to-GDP space |
| Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium | Stock–Flow Closure | Coherence exists when stocks and flows satisfy all accounting identities without residuals. | balanced sectoral accounts | Stock–Flow Mismatch | Coherence fails because stocks and flows cannot be reconciled within the structure. | persistent deficits; external imbalance |
| Open / Closed | Externally Coupled System | Coherence requires structural linkage to external economies through trade or finance. | open-economy accounts; capital-flow linkage | Internally Bounded System | Coherence defined entirely within domestic accounting boundaries. | closed-economy accounts |
| Deterministic / Stochastic | Identity-Complete Structure | Coherence fully specified by fixed identities and relations, leaving no unresolved components. | balance-sheet matrix; national income identity | Contingent Structure | Coherence includes elements whose resolution depends on realized contingencies. | contingent liabilities; implicit guarantees |
| Local / Global | Partial Closure | Coherence achieved within a subset of aggregates without full system integration. | housing–finance block; labor block | Global Closure | Coherence requires simultaneous satisfaction across all aggregate relations. | complete macro accounting system |
| Linear / Nonlinear | Additive Constraint Network | Coherence arises from proportionally combining constraints across aggregates. | linear accounting relations | Limit-Bound Network | Coherence shaped by embedded ceilings, floors, or thresholds. | debt ceilings; capacity limits |
| Classical / Quantum | Expectation-Independent Structure | Coherence defined without dependence on collective belief alignment. | classical accounting layout | Expectation-Dependent Structure | Coherence depends on internally consistent collective expectations. | credibility-dependent monetary structure |
Taken together, the entries show that macroeconomic coherence is not automatic but structurally earned. Whether through sectoral closure or whole-system closure, regime partitioning or continuous state space, additive constraints or binding limits, each configuration determines which aggregate states are even admissible. By fixing these system-forming conditions explicitly, the table prevents dynamics from being treated as free-form stories and anchors macro analysis in the concrete requirements of system integrity.
Regime / Mode-of-Behavior
This table characterizes recurring macroeconomic regularities—the ways system-level behavior repeats, cycles, or persists once individual choices and interactions have aggregated. The focus is on how economy-wide patterns stabilize or reappear under different structural conditions, distinguishing sector-bound rhythms from synchronized cycles, smooth trends from regime switches, and incremental responses from tipping-point dynamics.
SAT – Domain – Categories – Unified Ontological Binary Matrix – System / Assembly – Aggregation & Dynamics (Macroeconomic Systems)
| Binary Class | First State Name | First State Definition | First State Examples | Second State Name | Second State Definition | Second State Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / Macro | Sectoral Closure | System coherence achieved by closing accounting identities and constraints within a bounded sector, independent of other sectors. | household balance block; government budget block | Whole-System Closure | System coherence achieved only when identities and constraints close simultaneously across all sectors. | national accounts; flow-of-funds matrix |
| Discrete / Continuous | Regime Partition | Coherence imposed by classifying the system into one of a finite set of qualitatively distinct macro states. | recession/expansion labels; exchange-rate regimes | Continuous State Space | Coherence defined over a continuous domain of aggregate magnitudes and ratios. | inflation–output plane; debt-to-GDP space |
| Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium | Stock–Flow Closure | Coherence exists when stocks and flows satisfy all accounting identities without residuals. | balanced sectoral accounts | Stock–Flow Mismatch | Coherence fails because stocks and flows cannot be reconciled within the structure. | persistent deficits; external imbalance |
| Open / Closed | Externally Coupled System | Coherence requires structural linkage to external economies through trade or finance. | open-economy accounts; capital-flow linkage | Internally Bounded System | Coherence defined entirely within domestic accounting boundaries. | closed-economy accounts |
| Deterministic / Stochastic | Identity-Complete Structure | Coherence fully specified by fixed identities and relations, leaving no unresolved components. | balance-sheet matrix; national income identity | Contingent Structure | Coherence includes elements whose resolution depends on realized contingencies. | contingent liabilities; implicit guarantees |
| Local / Global | Partial Closure | Coherence achieved within a subset of aggregates without full system integration. | housing–finance block; labor block | Global Closure | Coherence requires simultaneous satisfaction across all aggregate relations. | complete macro accounting system |
| Linear / Nonlinear | Additive Constraint Network | Coherence arises from proportionally combining constraints across aggregates. | linear accounting relations | Limit-Bound Network | Coherence shaped by embedded ceilings, floors, or thresholds. | debt ceilings; capacity limits |
| Classical / Quantum | Expectation-Independent Structure | Coherence defined without dependence on collective belief alignment. | classical accounting layout | Expectation-Dependent Structure | Coherence depends on internally consistent collective expectations. | credibility-dependent monetary structure |
Taken together, the entries show that macro behavior recurs for fundamentally different reasons: some patterns are internally generated, others externally paced; some reproduce through proportional adjustment, others through abrupt phase changes; some persist independently of beliefs, others hinge on expectation alignment. By naming these regimes explicitly, the table prevents collapsing all macro dynamics into a single “business cycle” story and provides a precise vocabulary for why large-scale economic patterns endure, fracture, or re-emerge.
Role / Function / Position
This table identifies the specific positional objects that exist at the macroeconomic level—the places where aggregation, constraint, reference, and propagation are structurally located once individual choices and interactions have been subsumed. Each row isolates a different kind of macro-level locus (blocks, ledgers, labels, gaps, links, anchors) and specifies how that locus is constituted under the binary. The focus is not on motion or policy action, but on where macroeconomic coherence and breakdown are situated.
SAT – Domain – Categories – Unified Ontological Binary Matrix – Role / Function / Position – Aggregation & Dynamics (Macroeconomic Systems)
| Binary Class | First State Name | First State Definition | First State Examples | Second State Name | Second State Definition | Second State Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / Macro | Sector Block | A bounded aggregate locus where stocks and flows are organized within a single functional segment of the economy. | household sector accounts; government budget block | System Ledger | An economy-wide locus that integrates all sector blocks into a single coherent accounting whole. | national accounts; flow-of-funds matrix |
| Discrete / Continuous | Regime Label | A categorical marker that assigns the macro system to one of a finite set of qualitatively distinct states. | recession/expansion; fixed/floating exchange regime | State Space | A continuous domain in which macro variables are jointly located by magnitude and ratio. | inflation–output plane; debt-to-GDP space |
| Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium | Closure Point | A configuration where aggregate constraints and identities balance without residual pressure. | balanced budget position; steady-state growth point | Gap | A configuration defined by unresolved aggregate imbalance relative to constraints. | output gap; savings–investment gap |
| Open / Closed | External Link | A positional coupling that connects domestic aggregates to foreign systems. | trade balance link; capital account link | Domestic Boundary | A positional boundary that contains all aggregates within the internal system. | closed-economy accounting frame |
| Deterministic / Stochastic | Identity Frame | A structural locus defined entirely by fixed accounting relations. | income identity; balance-sheet matrix | Shock Channel | A structural locus through which random disturbances enter the aggregate system. | productivity shock term; demand shock term |
| Local / Global | Partial Aggregate | An aggregate locus confined to a subset of macro variables. | labor-market slack; housing stock imbalance | Total Aggregate | An aggregate locus spanning all major macro variables simultaneously. | overall employment level; total output |
| Linear / Nonlinear | Multiplier Chain | An additive propagation structure where aggregate effects scale proportionally. | Keynesian multiplier | Threshold Surface | A nonlinear boundary where small changes induce disproportionate aggregate shifts. | debt-crisis threshold; capacity ceiling |
| Classical / Quantum | Expectation-Neutral Anchor | A macro reference point defined independently of belief coordination. | classical growth benchmark | Expectation Anchor | A macro reference point whose definition depends on shared expectations. | inflation target; credibility anchor |
Taken together, the entries show that macroeconomic behavior is organized through distinct positional forms, not a single amorphous “economy.” Sector blocks, system ledgers, regime labels, gaps, boundaries, anchors, and thresholds each locate constraint and reference in different ways. By naming these positions explicitly, the table prevents dynamics from being treated as free-floating trends and fixes, in advance, the exact places where stability, imbalance, expectation, and rupture are allowed to reside.
Representation / Model-of-Reality
This table catalogs the representational artifacts used to depict economy-wide aggregation and motion. Each row introduces a distinct modeling construct—ledgers, timelines, plots, tables, projections—that stands in for macroeconomic reality by foregrounding certain relations (closure, gaps, shocks, linkages) while suppressing others. The binaries specify how macro reality is represented, not how agents behave or how policies operate.
SAT – Domain – Categories – Unified Ontological Binary Matrix – Representation / Model-of-Reality – Aggregation & Dynamics (Macroeconomic Systems)
| Binary Class | First State Name | First State Definition | First State Examples | Second State Name | Second State Definition | Second State Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / Macro | Sector Ledger | A representational table that records stocks and flows within a bounded segment of the economy. | household balance sheet; government budget table | National Accounts Matrix | A representational matrix that integrates all sectors into a single economy-wide accounting view. | flow-of-funds tables; SNA accounts |
| Discrete / Continuous | Regime Timeline | A representation that classifies the economy into a finite sequence of qualitatively distinct states. | recession/expansion chronology; regime-switching chart | Trajectory Plot | A representation that tracks aggregate variables moving through continuous space over time. | GDP growth path; inflation time series |
| Equilibrium / Non-equilibrium | Steady-State Diagram | A representation centered on balanced configurations where aggregate relations close. | Solow steady-state figure | Gap Chart | A representation focused on deviations from balance or closure. | output gap chart; savings–investment gap |
| Open / Closed | External Accounts Table | A representation that explicitly encodes cross-border flows and linkages. | balance of payments; trade accounts | Autarky Frame | A representation that abstracts away external linkages to isolate internal relations. | closed-economy IS-LM diagram |
| Deterministic / Stochastic | Law-Driven Projection | A representation that projects macro outcomes from fixed structural relations. | deterministic growth projection | Shock Decomposition | A representation that attributes macro variation to random disturbances. | variance decomposition; impulse response chart |
| Local / Global | Partial Block Diagram | A representation isolating a subset of aggregates or markets. | housing-only macro block; labor-market panel | System Panorama | A representation depicting the full set of aggregate relations simultaneously. | full DSGE state diagram; macro SAM |
| Linear / Nonlinear | Multiplier Table | A representation assuming proportional transmission of aggregate changes. | Keynesian multiplier table | Crisis Phase Map | A representation highlighting thresholds, feedback loops, or regime breaks. | financial crisis phase diagram |
| Classical / Quantum | Expectation-Neutral Baseline | A representation that treats expectations as irrelevant or fixed. | classical growth benchmark | Expectation-Anchored Scenario | A representation that makes belief coordination central to outcomes. | inflation-expectations fan chart |
Taken together, the entries show that macroeconomic dynamics are never observed directly but rendered through chosen artifacts. Ledgers privilege accounting closure; timelines impose regime categories; plots trace trajectories; decompositions attribute variation; phase maps expose thresholds. By naming these representations explicitly, the table prevents modeling choices from being mistaken for empirical facts and clarifies what each depiction can—and cannot—legitimately explain about macroeconomic systems.