Activities and Causation: The Metaphysics and Epistemology of Mechanisms
Abstract
This article deals with mechanisms conceived as composed of entities and activities. In response to many perplexities about the nature of activities, a number of arguments are developed concerning their epistemic and ontological status. Some questions concerning the relations between cause and causal explanation and mechanisms are also addressed.
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In real-world research, we are often not able to get much beyond a 'mechanism sketch'.
“In realworld research, we are often not able to get much beyond what Machamer terms a 'mechanism sketch' (Machamer, 2004).”
From It's all about mechanisms – what process-tracing case studies should be tracing (2016) · cites this paper as Machamer, 2004
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- Authors
- Machamer, P.
- Corresponding author
- Machamer, Peter
- Venue
- International Studies in the Philosophy of Science
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2004-03
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 27-39
- ISSN
- 0269-8595 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-9281
- OpenAlex
- W2093918078
- Cited by
- 237
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 12.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Studies in the Philosophy of Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy, Science, and History
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Keywords
- mechanisms, activity, causality, causal explanation
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