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Mechanisms, counterfactuals and laws

Psillos, Stathis and Ioannidis, Stavros (2016) Mechanisms, counterfactuals and laws. [Preprint]

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Abstract

In this chapter, we examine the relation between mechanisms and laws/counterfactuals by revisiting the main notions of mechanism found in the literature. We distinguish between two different conceptions of ‘mechanism’: mechanisms-of underlie or constitute a causal process; mechanisms-for are complex systems that function so as to produce a certain behavior. According to some mechanists, a mechanism fulfills both of these roles simultaneously. The main argument of the chapter is that there is an asymmetrical dependence between both kinds of mechanisms and laws/counterfactuals: while some laws and counterfactuals must be taken as primitive (non-mechanistic) facts of the world, all mechanisms depend on laws/counterfactuals.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Psillos, Stathispsillos@phs.uoa.gr
Ioannidis, Stavrossioannidis@phs.uoa.gr
Keywords: mechanisms, counterfactuals, laws, causation, function, complex systems
Subjects: General Issues > Causation
General Issues > Laws of Nature
Depositing User: Stathis Psillos
Date Deposited: 18 Jul 2016 13:29
Last Modified: 18 Jul 2016 13:29
Item ID: 12290
Subjects: General Issues > Causation
General Issues > Laws of Nature
Date: 18 July 2016
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12290

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