Thinking about Mechanisms
Top Cited Papers
- 1 March 2000
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Philosophy of Science
- Vol. 67 (1) , 1-25
- https://doi.org/10.1086/392759
Abstract
The concept of mechanism is analyzed in terms of entities and activities, organized such that they are productive of regular changes. Examples show how mechanisms work in neurobiology and molecular biology. Thinking in terms of mechanisms provides a new framework for addressing many traditional philosophical issues: causality, laws, explanation, reduction, and scientific change.Keywords
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