Mechanism and Causality in Biology and Economics

This volume addresses fundamental issues in the philosophy of science in the context of two most intriguing fields: biology and economics. Written by authorities and experts in the philosophy of biology and economics, Mechanism and Causality in Biology and Economics provides a structured study of the concepts of mechanism and causality in these disciplines and draws careful juxtapositions between philosophical apparatus and scientific practice. By exploring the issues that are most salient to the contemporary philosophies of biology and economics and by presenting comparative analyses, the book serves as a platform not only for gaining mutual understanding between scientists and philosophers of the life sciences and those of the social sciences, but also for sharing interdisciplinary research that combines both philosophical concepts in both fields.
The book begins by defining the concepts of mechanism and causality in biology and economics, respectively. The second and third parts investigate philosophical perspectives of various causal and mechanistic issues in scientific practice in the two fields. These two sections include chapters on causal issues in the theory of evolution; experiments and scientific discovery; representation of causal relations and mechanism by models in economics. The concluding section presents interdisciplinary studies of various topics concerning extrapolation of life sciences and social sciences, including chapters on the philosophical investigation of conjoining biological and economic analyses with, respectively, demography, medicine and sociology.

List of contents

Acknowledgements.- Chapter 1. Towards the Methodological Turn in the Philosophy of Science; Hsiang-Ke Chao, Szu-Ting Chen, and Roberta L. Millstein.- Part 1. Defining Mechanism and Causality.- Chapter 2. Mechanisms versus Causes in Biology and Medicine ; Lindley Darden.- Chapter 3. Identity, Structure, and Causal Representation in Scientific Models; Kevin D. Hoover.- Part 2. Models and Representation.- Chapter 4. The Regrettable Lost of Mathematical Molding in Econometrics; Marcel Boumans.- Chapter 5. Models of Mechanisms: The Case of the Replicator Dynamics; Till Grüne-Yanoff.- Chapter 6. Experimental Discovery, Data Model, and Mechanisms in Biology: An Example from Mendel's Work; Ruey-Lin Chen.- Part 3. Reconsidering Biological Mechanisms and Causality.- Chapter 7. Mechanisms and Laws: Clarifying the Debate; Carl F. Craver and Marie I. Kaiser.- Chapter 8. Natural Selection and Causal Productivity: A Reply to Glennan; Roberta L. Millstein.- Chapter 9. Is Natural Selection a Population-Level Causal Process?; Rong-Lin Wang.- Part 4. Across Boundaries between Biology and Economics.- Chapter 10. Mechanisms and Extrapolation in the Abortion-Crime Controversy; Daniel Steel.- Chapter 11. Causality, Impartiality and Evidence-Based Policy; David Teira and Julian Reiss.- Chapter 12. Explaining the Explanations of 100 Million Missing Women; Hsiang-Ke Chao and Szu-Ting Chen.Models of Mechanisms: The Case of the Replicator Dynamics; Till Grüne-Yanoff.- Chapter 6. Experimental Discovery, Data Model, and Mechanisms in Biology: An Example from Mendel's Work; Ruey-Lin Chen.- Part 3.Reconsidering Biological Mechanisms and Causality.- Chapter 7. Mechanisms and Laws: Clarifying the Debate; Carl F. Craver and Marie I. Kaiser.- Chapter 8. Natural Selection and Causal Productivity: A Reply to Glennan; Roberta L. Millstein.- Chapter 9. Is Natural Selection a Population-Level Causal Process?; Rong-Lin Wang.- Part 4. Across Boundaries between Biology and Economics.- Chapter 10. Mechanisms and Extrapolation in the Abortion-Crime Controversy; Daniel Steel.- Chapter 11. Causality, Impartiality and Evidence-Based Policy; David Teira and Julian Reiss.- Chapter 12. Explaining the Explanations of 100 Million Missing Women; Hsiang-Ke Chao and Szu-Ting Chen.

Summary

This volume addresses fundamental issues in the philosophy of science in the context of two most intriguing fields: biology and economics. Written by authorities and experts in the philosophy of biology and economics, Mechanism and Causality in Biology and Economics provides a structured study of the concepts of mechanism and causality in these disciplines and draws careful juxtapositions between philosophical apparatus and scientific practice. By exploring the issues that are most salient to the contemporary philosophies of biology and economics and by presenting comparative analyses, the book serves as a platform not only for gaining mutual understanding between scientists and philosophers of the life sciences and those of the social sciences, but also for sharing interdisciplinary research that combines both philosophical concepts in both fields.
The book begins by defining the concepts of mechanism and causality in biology and economics, respectively. The second and third parts investigate philosophical perspectives of various causal and mechanistic issues in scientific practice in the two fields. These two sections include chapters on causal issues in the theory of evolution; experiments and scientific discovery; representation of causal relations and mechanism by models in economics. The concluding section presents interdisciplinary studies of various topics concerning extrapolation of life sciences and social sciences, including chapters on the philosophical investigation of conjoining biological and economic analyses with, respectively, demography, medicine and sociology.

Additional text

From the reviews:
“Essays provides both a critical reappraisal of how far we’ve come, and an insight into future lines of inquiry. … to those with interests in general philosophy of science, and those with interests in interdisciplinary links among the special sciences. … I can strongly recommend it. Each of these papers is self-contained, but together they constitute intriguingly contrasting treatments of a variety of issues to do with causation, explanation, and the roles of mechanistic understanding in economics and biology.” (Anya Plutynski, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, Vol. 3 (23), 2013)

Report

From the reviews:
"Essays provides both a critical reappraisal of how far we've come, and an insight into future lines of inquiry. ... to those with interests in general philosophy of science, and those with interests in interdisciplinary links among the special sciences. ... I can strongly recommend it. Each of these papers is self-contained, but together they constitute intriguingly contrasting treatments of a variety of issues to do with causation, explanation, and the roles of mechanistic understanding in economics and biology." (Anya Plutynski, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, Vol. 3 (23), 2013)

Product details

• Assisted by: Hsiang-Ke Chao (Editor), Szu-Tin Chen (Editor), Szu-Ting Chen (Editor), Roberta L Millstein (Editor), Roberta L. Millstein (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.06.2013
• EAN: 9789400724532
• ISBN: 978-94-0-072453-2
• No. of pages: 256
• Dimensions: 162 mm x 241 mm x 19 mm
• Weight: 530 g
• Illustrations: X, 256 p.
• Series: History, Philosophy and Theory of the Life Sciences; History, Philosophy and Theory of the Life Sciences
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > Miscellaneous; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Miscellaneous