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Analyzing network models to make discoveries about biological mechanisms

Bechtel, William (2017) Analyzing network models to make discoveries about biological mechanisms. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science.

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Abstract

Systems biology provides alternatives to the strategies to developing
mechanistic explanations traditionally pursued in cell and molecular biology
and much discussed in accounts of mechanistic explanation. Rather than starting by identifying a mechanism for a given phenomenon and decomposing it, systems biologists often start by developing cell-wide networks of detected connections between proteins or genes and construe clusters of highly interactive components as potential mechanisms. Using inference strategies such as ‘guilt-by-association’, researchers advance hypotheses about functions performed of these mechanisms. I examine several examples of research on budding yeast, first on what are taken to be enduring networks and subsequently on networks that change as cells perform different activities or respond to different external conditions


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Bechtel, Williambechtel@ucsd.edu
Keywords: biological mechanisms, systems biology, network analysis
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics
General Issues > Explanation
Depositing User: Professor William Bechtel
Date Deposited: 23 Aug 2017 20:03
Last Modified: 23 Aug 2017 20:03
Item ID: 13349
Journal or Publication Title: British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics
General Issues > Explanation
Date: 2017
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/13349

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