  We argue for a foundational epistemic claim and a hypothesis about the
production and uses of mathematical epidemiological models, exploring the
consequences for our political and socio-economic lives. First, in order to
make the best use of scientific models, we need to understand why models are
not truly representational of our world, but are already pitched towards
various uses. Second, we need to understand the implicit power relations in
numbers and models in public policy, and, thus, the implications for good
governance if numbers and models are used as the exclusive drivers of decision
making.
