NDLI: Models, robustness, and non-causal explanation: a foray into cognitive science and biology

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Irvine, Elizabeth
Copyright Year	2014
Abstract	This paper is aimed at identifying how a model’s explanatory power is constructed and identified, particularly in the practice of template-based modeling (Humphreys, Philos Sci 69:1–11, 2002; Extending ourselves: computational science, empiricism, and scientific method, 2004), and what kinds of explanations models constructed in this way can provide. In particular, this paper offers an account of non-causal structural explanation that forms an alternative to causal–mechanical accounts of model explanation that are currently popular in philosophy of biology and cognitive science. Clearly, defences of non-causal explanation are far from new (e.g. Batterman, Br J Philos Sci 53:21–38, 2002a; The devil in the details: asymptotic reasoning in explanation, reduction, and emergence, 2002b; Pincock, Noûs 41:253–275, 2007; Mathematics and scientific representation 2012; Rice, Noûs. doi: 10.1111/nous.12042 , 2013; Biol Philos 27:685–703, 2012), so the targets here are focused on a particular type of robust phenomenon and how strong invariance to interventions can block a range of causal explanations. By focusing on a common form of model construction, the paper also ties functional or computational style explanations found in cognitive science and biology more firmly with explanatory practices across model-based science in general.
Starting Page	3943
Ending Page	3959
Page Count	17
File Format	PDF
ISSN	00397857
Journal	Synthese
Volume Number	192
Issue Number	12
e-ISSN	15730964
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Netherlands
Publisher Date	2014-07-26
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Models Robustness Explanation Template Invariance Structural explanation Mathematical explanation Mechanisms Philosophy of Science Epistemology Logic Philosophy of Language Metaphysics
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Philosophy Social Sciences

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Models and mechanisms in psychological explanation

The case for regularity in mechanistic causal explanation

Negative causation in causal and mechanistic explanation

Mechanistic explanation at the limit

Topological explanations and robustness in biological sciences

Explanation by induction?

Causal Explanation and Explanatory Selection

Psychological Explanation and Causal Deviancy

How scientific models can explain

Models, robustness, and non-causal explanation: a foray into cognitive science and biology

Similar Documents

Models and mechanisms in psychological explanation

The case for regularity in mechanistic causal explanation

Negative causation in causal and mechanistic explanation

Mechanistic explanation at the limit

Topological explanations and robustness in biological sciences

Explanation by induction?

Causal Explanation and Explanatory Selection

Psychological Explanation and Causal Deviancy

How scientific models can explain

Models, robustness, and non-causal explanation: a foray into cognitive science and biology