Chapter 9 - Multilevel Mechanistic Explanation

Summary

In Chapter 9 we present and defend a causal account of multilevel mechanistic explanation by examining various case studies from biology. We argue that two key consequences of Causal Mechanism are (1) that levels and mechanisms are distinct notions and (2) that levels of multilevel explanations are levels of composition. This view is in stark contrast to Craver’s account, according to which levels in multilevel explanations are levels of mechanisms and multilevel explanations are instances of constitutive explanations. A key claim of the chapter is that whatever contributes to the phenomenon is part of the same pathway; but causal pathways can contain entities from multiple levels of composition. In order to motivate and illustrate our view, we use various examples from biology and medicine. We criticise some common views associated with the picture of a hierarchy of mechanistic levels and argue that our view allows for causation at higher levels.