Full Idea
To a significant degree, a mechanistic philosophy of science can be seen as an alternative to an earlier logical empiricist tradition in philosophy of science that gave pride of place to laws of nature.
Gist of Idea
Mechanistic philosophy of science is an alternative to the empiricist law-based tradition
Source
Stuart Glennan (Mechanisms [2008], 'Intro')
Book Reference
'Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science', ed/tr. Psillos,S/Curd,M [Routledge 2010], p.376
A Reaction
Lovely! Someone who actually spells out what's going on here. Most philosophers are far too coy about explaining what their real game is. Mechanism is fine in chemistry and biology. How about in 'mathematical' physics, or sociology?
Related Idea
Idea 17488 Empiricist theories are sets of laws, which give explanations and reductions [Glennan]