Full Idea
17th century mechanists said that interactions governed by chemical, electrical or gravitational forces would have to be explicable in terms of the operation of some atomistic (or corpuscular) kinetic mechanism.
Gist of Idea
17th century mechanists explained everything by the kinetic physical fundamentals
Source
Stuart Glennan (Mechanisms [2008], 'Intro')
Book Reference
'Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science', ed/tr. Psillos,S/Curd,M [Routledge 2010], p.377
A Reaction
Glennan says science has rejected this, so modern mechanists do not reduce mechanisms to anything in particular.