The operon model and scientific explanation

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Can’t use the file because of accessibility barriers? Contact us with the title of the item, permanent link, and specifics of your accommodation need.

Date

2016

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

It is widely assumed that mechanistic explanations are causal explanations. Many prominent new mechanists endorse interventionism as the correct analysis of explanatory causal models in biology and other fields. This article argues that interventionism is not entirely satisfactory in this regard. A case study of Jacob and Monod’s operon model shows that at least some important mechanistic explanations in biology present significant contrasts with the interventionist account. This result motivates a more inclusive approach to mechanistic explanation, allowing for noncausal aspects.

Description

Keywords

modern, contemporary, structure of theories, pluralism, biology, molecular biology, genetics, the same model that supports multiple explanation --> pluralism

Citation

Journal

Link(s) to data and video for this item

Downstream publication: Fagan, Melinda. (2016) "Interventionist Omissions: A Critical Case Study of Mechanistic Explanation in Biology." Philosophy of Science 83(5), 1082-1097.

Relation

Rights

Type

Collections