The epistemological dependence thesis. The identity thesis would (if it were true) be a good reason (weak version), or the best reason (stronger version), or the only reason (strongest version; it is a necessary condition) to believe that simulations can provide warrants for belief in the hypotheses that they support. A consequence of the strongest version is that only if the identity thesis is true is there reason to believe that simulations can confer warrant for believing in hypotheses.