Modeling as a method of scientific knowledge: essence and typology

The article is about the development of theoretical concepts of modeling. The authors consider the content of the concept "model", its features (the key of which is the similarity to the original object) and factors influencing the specifics of modeling (the purpose of modeling, the scope of the model, etc.). The article summarizes approaches to the classification of models presented in the scientific literature. The authors propose a typology that systematizes ideas about the distinctive properties of various models (special attention is paid to ideal models that are significant for identifying the features of socio-economic processes).