Causal mechanisms in the social sciences as evidence for higher-order causal relations

Korte inhoud:The idea that knowledge of causal mechanisms is important for social scientists is very common in the methodological literature in the social sciences. On the one hand, it is often said that knowledge of causal mechanisms in the social sciences has an explanatory role: it is important because it provides insight into how causal relations at the higher level come about. On the other hand, it is often claimed that knowledge of mechanisms also has an evidential role: it helps to establish causal relations. In this chapter, I discuss this evidential role and spell out some of the details by formulating two theses about this role.

ISBN:9781003528937

Jaar van publicatie:2024

Toegankelijkheid:Embargoed