Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
Towards the Methodological Turn
in the Philosophy of Science
Hsiang-Ke Chao, Szu-Ting Chen, and Roberta L. Millstein
Abstract This chapter provides an introduction to the study of the philosophical
notions of mechanisms and causality in biology and economics. This chapter sets
the stage for this volume in three ways. First, it gives a broad review of the recent
changes and current state of the study of mechanisms and causality in the philoso-
phy of science. Second, consistent with a recent trend in the philosophy of science
to focus on scientific practices, it in turn implies the importance of studying the
scientific methods employed by researchers. Finally, by way of providing an
overview of each chapter in the volume, this chapter demonstrates that biology
and economics are two fertile fields for the philosophy of science and shows how
biological and economic mechanisms and causality can be synthesized.
1
Introduction
In the philosophy of science, interest has recently shifted from scientific concepts to
scientific practices. That means what really matters to philosophers of science, and
what philosophical discussions should be based on, is what scientists actually do
and how they do it rather than philosophers' visage of what science is and how
H.-K. Chao (
*
)
Department of Economics, National Tsing Hua University,
101, Section 2, Kuang Fu Road, 30013 Hsinchu, Taiwan
e-mail:
hkchao@mx.nthu.edu.tw
S.-T. Chen
Graduate Institute of Philosophy, National Tsing Hua University,
101, Section 2, Kuang Fu Road, 30013 Hsinchu, Taiwan
e-mail:
stchen@mx.nthu.edu.tw
R.L. Millstein
Department of Philosophy, University of California, Davis,
One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
e-mail:
rlmillstein@ucdavis.edu
