Real Patterns in Biological Explanation

Real Patterns in Biological Explanation. Burnston, D. C. Philosophy of Science, 84(5):879–891, December, 2017.

In discussion of mechanisms, philosophers often debate about whether quantitative descriptions of generalizations or qualitative descriptions of operations are explanatorily fundamental. I argue that these debates have erred by conflating the explanatory roles of generalizations and patterns. Patterns are types of variations within or between quantities in a mechanism over time or across conditions. While these patterns must often be represented in addition to descriptions of operations in order to explain a phenomenon, they are not equivalent to generalizations because their explanatory role does not depend on any specific facts about their scope or domain of invariance.

@article{burnston_real_2017,
	title = {Real {Patterns} in {Biological} {Explanation}},
	volume = {84},
	issn = {00318248},
	url = {http://0-search.ebscohost.com.wncln.wncln.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hus&AN=126784768&site=ehost-live},
	doi = {10.1086/693964},
	abstract = {In discussion of mechanisms, philosophers often debate about whether quantitative descriptions of generalizations or qualitative descriptions of operations are explanatorily fundamental. I argue that these debates have erred by conflating the explanatory roles of generalizations and patterns. Patterns are types of variations within or between quantities in a mechanism over time or across conditions. While these patterns must often be represented in addition to descriptions of operations in order to explain a phenomenon, they are not equivalent to generalizations because their explanatory role does not depend on any specific facts about their scope or domain of invariance.},
	number = {5},
	urldate = {2020-01-17},
	journal = {Philosophy of Science},
	author = {Burnston, Daniel C.},
	month = dec,
	year = {2017},
	keywords = {Biology, Debates \& debating, Philosophers, Principle of relativity (Physics), Scientists},
	pages = {879--891}
}

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