Methodological individualism, explanation, and invariance

Philosophy of the Social Sciences 36 (4):440-463 (2006)
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Abstract

This article examines methodological individualism in terms of the theory that invariance under intervention is the signal feature of generalizations that serve as a basis for causal explanation. This theory supports the holist contention that macro-level generalizations can explain, but it also suggests a defense of methodological individualism on the grounds that greater range of invariance under intervention entails deeper explanation. Although this individualist position is not threatened by multiple-realizability, an argument for it based on rational choice theory is called into question by experimental results concerning preference reversals. Key Words: methodological individualism • mechanisms • explanation • invariance • preference reversal.

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Citations of this work

Social structural explanation.Valerie Soon - 2021 - Philosophy Compass 16 (10):e12782.
Stability, breadth and guidance.Thomas Blanchard, Nadya Vasilyeva & Tania Lombrozo - 2018 - Philosophical Studies 175 (9):2263-2283.
Intervening on structure.Daniel Malinsky - 2018 - Synthese 195 (5):2295-2312.

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References found in this work

Philosophical papers.David Kellogg Lewis - 1983 - New York: Oxford University Press.
The Scientific Image.William Demopoulos & Bas C. van Fraassen - 1982 - Philosophical Review 91 (4):603.
Causality.Judea Pearl - 2000 - New York: Cambridge University Press.

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