Winning, Jason (2018) Mechanistic Causation and Constraints: Perspectival Parts and Powers, Non-Perspectival Modal Patterns. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. ISSN 1464-3537

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Abstract

Any successful account of the metaphysics of mechanistic causation must satisfy at least five key desiderata. In this paper, I lay out these five desiderata and explain why existing accounts of the metaphysics of mechanistic causation fail to satisfy them. I then present an alternative account which does satisfy the five desiderata. According to this alternative account, we must resort to a type of ontological entity that is new to metaphysics, but not to science: constraints. In this paper, I explain how a constraints-based metaphysics fits best with the emerging consensus on the nature of mechanistic explanation.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Winning, Jason jason.winning@gmail.com 0000-0002-9871-2684
Keywords:	Constraints, Causal Powers, Mechanistic Causation, Structural Realism, Classical Mechanics, Mechanistic Explanation
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Biology General Issues > Causation Specific Sciences > Complex Systems Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Laws of Nature General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
Depositing User:	Jason Winning
Date Deposited:	04 Sep 2018 23:42
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2018 23:42
Item ID:	15002
Journal or Publication Title:	British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
Official URL:	https://doi.org/10.1093/bjps/axy042
DOI or Unique Handle:	10.1093/bjps/axy042
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Biology General Issues > Causation Specific Sciences > Complex Systems Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Laws of Nature General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
Date:	2018
ISSN:	1464-3537
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15002

Available Versions of this Item

• Mechanistic Causation and Constraints: Perspectival Parts and Powers, Non-Perspectival Modal Patterns. (deposited 31 Mar 2018 02:51)
  • Mechanistic Causation and Constraints: Perspectival Parts and Powers, Non-Perspectival Modal Patterns. (deposited 04 Sep 2018 23:42) [Currently Displayed]

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