1997/12/01 by Mario Bunge · 2 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · Mathematics · Psychology · #Philosophy and History of Science #Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation #Mechanism (biology) #Macro #Epistemology #Problem of universals #Sociology #Biosocial theory #Mathematical economics #Philosophy #Computer science #Mathematics #Psychology #Social psychology
paper · doi:10.1177/004839319702700402
openalex publication_date 1997/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/17
The aim of this article is to elucidate the notions of explanation and mechanism, in particular of the social kind. A mechanism is defined as what makes a concrete system tick, and it is argued that to propose an explanation proper is to exhibit a lawful mechanism. The so-called covering law model is shown to exhibit only the logical aspect of explanation: it just subsumes particulars under universals. A full or mechanismic explanation involves mechanismic law statements, not purely descriptive ones such as functional relations and rate equations. Many examples from the natural, biosocial, and social sciences are examined. In particular, macro-micro-micro-macro social relations are shown to explain other wise puzzling macro-macro links. The last part of the article relates the author's progress, over half a century, toward understanding mechanism and explanation.