Single Idea 12787

[catalogued under 14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / i. Explanations by mechanism]

Full Idea

To model a mechanism one must incorporate pragmatic laws. ...As valuable as the concept of mechanism and mechanistic explanation are, they cannot replace regularities nor undermine their relevance for scientific explanation.

Gist of Idea

Mechanisms can't explain on their own, as their models rest on pragmatic regularities

Source

Bert Leuridan (Can Mechanisms Replace Laws of Nature? [2010], §1)

Book Reference

-: 'Philosophy of Science' [-], p.3


A Reaction

[See Idea 12786 for 'pragmatic laws'] I just don't see how the observation of a regularity is any sort of explanation. I just take a regularity to be something interesting which needs to be explained.

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