HPS 2157 - EXPLANATIONS, CAUSES, AND MECHANISMS

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
The seminar will examine some recent philosophical writings on these three topics. Specifically, we will analyze the nature of explanations by mechanisms in a variety of domains and fields, including social science, cognitive science, and neuroscience. We shall also consider multi-level explanations, such as those that relate persons to sub-personal states and environments. Along the way we shall discuss the issues of reduction, emergence, the space of reasons, and the nature of information as used in some sciences. If there is interest and time we may spend a session or two on discovery of mechanisms.
Academic Career: Graduate
Course Component: Seminar
Grade Component: Grad LG/SNC Basis

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