Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T09:21:12.207Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Ecological Explanation between Manipulation and Mechanism Description

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Abstract

James Woodward offers a conception of explanation and mechanism in terms of interventionist counterfactuals. Based on a case from ecology, I show that ecologists’ approach to that case satisfies Woodward's conditions for explanation and mechanism, but his conception does not fully capture what ecologists view as explanatory. The new mechanistic philosophy likewise aims to describe central aspects of mechanisms, but I show that it is not sufficient to account for ecological mechanisms. I argue that in ecology explanation involves identification of invariant and insensitive causal relationships and descriptions of the mechanistic characteristics that make these relations possible.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

I am also affiliated with the Institute of Philosophy of the Romanian Academy, Str. 13 Septembrie nr. 13, Bucharest, Romania. I would like to thank Robert C. Richardson, Robert A. Skipper, Thomas Polger, Roberta Millstein, Lindley Darden, and the DC History and Philosophy of Biology Group, Clement Loo, and the session audience at the PSA meeting, 2008, for helpful suggestions and comments. Special thanks go to Aurelia Zbârnea for patience and support. Holly Groover's understanding was crucial for finishing the editing of this work. I am grateful to Diane Dunham and Bill Marvin for their help in improving the English of this article. I received financial support for this project from the Charles P. Taft Research Center at the University of Cincinnati and from the Research Council at the University of Dayton. This article is dedicated to the memory of Cezar Radu. În memoria marelui Cezar Radu.

References

Bechtel, William (2006), Discovering Cell Mechanisms: The Creation of Modern Cell Biology. New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Bechtel, William, and Abrahamsen, Adele (2005), “Explanation: A Mechanist Alternative”, Explanation: A Mechanist Alternative 36:421441.Google ScholarPubMed
Craver, Carl F., and Bechtel, William (2006), “Mechanism”, in Sarkar, Sahotra and Pfeifer, Jessica (eds.), The Philosophy of Science: An Encyclopedia. New York: Routledge, 469478.Google Scholar
Díaz, Sandra, and Cabido, Marcelo (2001), “Vive la différence: Plant Functional Diversity Matters to Ecosystem Processes”, Vive la différence: Plant Functional Diversity Matters to Ecosystem Processes 16 (11): 646655..Google Scholar
Glennan, Stuart (1996), “Mechanisms and the Nature of Causation”, Mechanisms and the Nature of Causation 44:4971.Google Scholar
Glennan, Stuart (2002), “Rethinking Mechanistic Explanation”, Rethinking Mechanistic Explanation 69:S342S353.Google Scholar
Glennan, Stuart (2005), “Modeling Mechanisms”, Modeling Mechanisms 35:443464.Google Scholar
Harper, J. L., and Hawksworth, D. L. (1994), “Biodiversity: Measurement and Estimation”, Biodiversity: Measurement and Estimation 345:512.Google ScholarPubMed
Hooper, D. U., Chapin, F. S. III, Ewel, J. J., Hector, A., Inchausti, P., Lavorel, S., Lawton, J. H., Lodge, D. M., Loreu, M., Naeem, S., Schmid, B., Setälä, H., Symstad, A. J., Vandermeer, J., and Wardle, D. A. (2005), “Effects of Biodiversity on Ecosystem Functioning: A Consensus of Current Knowledge”, Effects of Biodiversity on Ecosystem Functioning: A Consensus of Current Knowledge 75:335.Google Scholar
Levins, Richard (1974), “The Qualitative Analysis of Partially Specified Systems”, The Qualitative Analysis of Partially Specified Systems 231:123138.Google ScholarPubMed
Machamer, Peter, Darden, Lindley, and Craver, Carl F. (2000), “Thinking about Mechanisms”, Thinking about Mechanisms 67:125.Google Scholar
Naeem, Shahid (2002), “Ecosystem Consequences of Biodiversity Loss: The Evolution of a Paradigm”, Ecosystem Consequences of Biodiversity Loss: The Evolution of a Paradigm 83:15371552.Google Scholar
Puccia, Charles J., and Levins, Richard (1985), Qualitative Modeling of Complex Systems: An Introduction to Loop Analysis and Time Averaging. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Skipper, Robert A. Jr., and Millstein, Roberta L. (2005), “Thinking about Evolutionary Mechanisms: Natural Selection”, Thinking about Evolutionary Mechanisms: Natural Selection 36:327347.Google ScholarPubMed
Thagard, Paul (1998), “Explaining Disease: Correlations, Causes, and Mechanisms”, Explaining Disease: Correlations, Causes, and Mechanisms 8:6178.Google Scholar
Tilman, David (1987), “The Importance of the Mechanisms of Interspecific Competition”, The Importance of the Mechanisms of Interspecific Competition 129:769774.Google Scholar
Tilman, David (1990), “Mechanisms of Plant Competition for Nutrients: The Elements of a Predictive Theory of Competition”, in Grace, James B. and Tilman, David (eds.), Perspectives on Plant Competition. San Diego: Academic Press, 117141.Google Scholar
Tilman, David, Knops, Johannes, Wedin, David, Reich, Peter, Ritchie, Mark, and Siemann, Evan (1997), “The Influence of Functional Diversity and Composition on Ecosystem Processes”, The Influence of Functional Diversity and Composition on Ecosystem Processes 277:13001302.Google Scholar
Tilman, David, Lehman, Clarence L., and Thomson, Kendall T. (1997), “Plant Diversity and Ecosystem Productivity: Theoretical Considerations”, Plant Diversity and Ecosystem Productivity: Theoretical Considerations 94:18571861.Google ScholarPubMed
Tilman, David, Wedin, David, and Knops, Johannes (1996), “Productivity and Sustainability Influenced by Biodiversity in Grassland Ecosystems”, Productivity and Sustainability Influenced by Biodiversity in Grassland Ecosystems 379:718720.Google Scholar
Vandermeer, John H. (1989), The Ecology of Intercropping. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woodward, James (2002), “What Is a Mechanism? A Counterfactual Account”, What Is a Mechanism? A Counterfactual Account 69:S366S377.Google Scholar
Woodward, James (2003), Making Things Happen: A Theory of Causal Explanation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Woodward, James (2006), “Sensitive and Insensitive Causation”, Sensitive and Insensitive Causation 115:150.Google Scholar