Weber, Marcel (2014) On the Incompatibility of Dynamical Biological Mechanisms and Causal Graph Theory. In: UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

I examine the adequacy of the causal graph-structural equations approach to causation for modeling biological mechanisms. I focus in particular on mechanisms with complex dynamics such as the PER biological clock mechanism in Drosophila. I show that a quantitative model of this mechanism that uses coupled differential equations – the well-known Goldbeter model – cannot be adequately represented in the standard (interventionist) causal graph framework, even though this framework does permit causal cycles. The reason is that the model contains dynamical information about the mechanism that concerns causal properties but that does not correspond to variables that could be subject to independent interventions. Thus, a representation of the mechanisms as a causal structural model necessarily suppresses causally relevant information.

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Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Weber, Marcel marcel.weber@unige.ch
Keywords:	Dynamical biological mechanisms, biological clock, causality, causal graphs, structural equations, differential equations, interventionism
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology General Issues > Causation General Issues > Explanation
Depositing User:	Prof. Marcel Weber
Date Deposited:	09 Aug 2016 15:26
Last Modified:	09 Aug 2016 15:26
Item ID:	12342
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology General Issues > Causation General Issues > Explanation
Date:	28 October 2014
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12342

Available Versions of this Item

• On the Incompatibility of Dynamical Biological Mechanisms and Causal Graph Theory. (deposited 29 Oct 2014 15:34)
  • On the Incompatibility of Dynamical Biological Mechanisms and Causal Graph Theory. (deposited 09 Aug 2016 15:26) [Currently Displayed]
    • On the Incompatibility of Dynamical Biological Mechanisms and Causal Graph Theory. (deposited 23 Dec 2022 14:20)
      • On the Incompatibility of Dynamical Biological Mechanisms and Causal Graph Theory. (deposited 23 Dec 2022 14:19)

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