Sure, on that point we're agreed. Our perceptions (distinct from sensory input) are dependent on a conceptual framework / paradigm / model. But I didn't say models were useless, I was pointing out the profound flaw at the heart of typical economic models. Classical economic theory reduces the messy reality of human interaction to a handful of simple pseudo-mathematical axioms, then proceeds to build complicated formulas and algorithms atop this unreliable foundation. It's only quite recently that real-world complexity is (finally!) entering the picture, thanks to things like the Santa Fe Institute. It's reminiscent of the Copernican revolution.