List, Christian (2016) Levels: descriptive, explanatory, and ontological. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Scientists and philosophers frequently speak about levels of description, levels of explanation, and ontological levels. This paper presents a framework for studying levels. I give a general definition of a system of levels (drawing on ideas from category theory) and discuss several applications, some of which refer to descriptive or explanatory levels while others refer to ontological levels. I illustrate the usefulness of this framework by bringing it to bear on some familiar philosophical questions. Is there a hierarchy of levels, with a fundamental level at the bottom? And what does the answer to this question imply for physicalism, the thesis that everything supervenes on the physical? Are there emergent higher-level properties? Are higher-level descriptions reducible to lower-level ones? Can the relationship between normative and non-normative domains be viewed as one involving levels? And might a levelled framework shed light on the relationship between third-personal and first-personal phenomena?

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID List, Christian
Keywords:	Levels of description, levels of explanation, ontological levels, supervenience, emergence, reduction, coarse-graining, category theory
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Complex Systems Specific Sciences > Cognitive Science General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism General Issues > Reductionism/Holism General Issues > Structure of Theories
Depositing User:	Christian List
Date Deposited:	25 Apr 2016 12:43
Last Modified:	25 Apr 2016 12:43
Item ID:	12040
Official URL:	http://personal.lse.ac.uk/list/pdf-files/Levels.pd...
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Complex Systems Specific Sciences > Cognitive Science General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism General Issues > Reductionism/Holism General Issues > Structure of Theories
Date:	April 2016
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12040

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• Levels: descriptive, explanatory, and ontological. (deposited 25 Apr 2016 12:43) [Currently Displayed]
  • Levels: descriptive, explanatory, and ontological. (deposited 08 Aug 2017 14:54)

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