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Imagining Mechanisms with Diagrams

Sheredos, Benjamin and Bechtel, William (2016) Imagining Mechanisms with Diagrams. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Some proponents of mechanistic explanation downplay the significant of how-possibly explanations. We argue that developing accounts of mechanisms that could explain a phenomenon is an important aspect of scientific reasoning, one that involves imagination. Although appeals to imagination may seem to obscure the process of reasoning, we illustrate how, by examining diagrams (including drafts researchers construct in the course of research) we can gain insights into the construction of mechanistic explanations.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Sheredos, Benjaminben.sheredos@gmail.com
Bechtel, Williambechtel@ucsd.edu
Keywords: diagrams, mechanistic explanations, chronobiology, imagination
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology
Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics
General Issues > Explanation
Depositing User: Professor William Bechtel
Date Deposited: 21 Jun 2016 03:52
Last Modified: 21 Jun 2016 03:52
Item ID: 12213
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology
Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics
General Issues > Explanation
Date: 20 June 2016
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12213

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