Abstract
This paper aims to solve a potential problem for the methodology of constitutive inference offered by Harbecke (Stud Hist Philos Sci C: Stud Hist Philos Biol Biomed Sci 54:10–19, 2015b). The methodology is ultimately based on Mill’s “method of difference”, which requires a complete variation of factors in a given frame. In constitutive contexts, such a complete variation is often impossible. The offered solution utilizes the notion of a “mechanism slice”. In a first step, an example of a currently accepted explanation in neuroscience is reconstructed, which serves as a reference point of the subsequent discussion. The regularity theory of mechanistic constitution and the corresponding methodology of constitutive inference are then introduced. Eventually, it is argued that the proposed solution accommodates well all schematic situations in which the impossibility of varying all test factors could be expected either to lead to false inferences or to preclude the establishment of correct constitutive claims.
This research has been supported by the German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development, grant No. G-199-116.2-2013.
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Notes
- 1.
I presuppose the “epistemic” rather than the “ontic” interpretation of mechanistic explanations here. According to this interpretation, mechanistic explanations are models that represent physical mechanisms in the world. This might put me in opposition to Craver’s understanding of a mechanistic explanation (cf. Craver 2007, 27).
- 2.
“Composition” has been used by Machamer et al. (2000, 13), Bechtel and Abrahamsen (2005, 426), and Craver (2007, 164); “constitution” occurs in Craver (2007, 153); “constitutive relevance” is found in Craver (2007, 139). As far as I can see, the authors intend these terms widely synonymously, despite the fact that they offer different conceptual analyses for the targeted notion.
- 3.
- 4.
Compare this approach to the notion of specific types as proposed in Spohn (2006).
- 5.
The mereological theory presupposed here is General Extensional Mereology (GEM) as explicated by Varzi (2009).
- 6.
- 7.
- 8.
The same-place-and-time implication follows from the definition of Constitution. See the comments on conditions (iii)(a) and (iii)(b) in Sect. 12.3.
- 9.
To be precise, H O and C T have to be slightly reformulated to recognize the more complex structure of the test. For the corresponding case of causal inference, cf. Baumgartner and Graßhoff (2004, 216).
- 10.
To be fair, it should be mentioned that, according to the mechanistic approach, a satisfactory description of the underlying mechanism at one level is not yet a complete explanation. To attain the latter, one would have to offer satisfactory descriptions of the mechanism at different levels (cf. Machamer et al. 2000, 13/14).
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Harbecke, J. (2018). Constitutive Inference and the Problem of a Complete Variation of Factors. In: Christian, A., Hommen, D., Retzlaff, N., Schurz, G. (eds) Philosophy of Science. European Studies in Philosophy of Science, vol 9. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72577-2_12
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