Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.21464/fi46108

Scientific Explanation in Biology – Causal Structures

Vito Balorda ; Sveučilište u Rijeci, Filozofski fakultet, Sveučilišna avenija 4, HR–51000 Rijeka

Abstract

In this paper, I examine the debate on scientific explanation, with a particular focus on explanation in biology. Explanations in biology are predominantly causal, relying on causal structures such as mechanisms (e.g., protein synthesis), pathways (e.g., metabolic pathways), and cascades (e.g., blood coagulation). In contemporary debates, mechanisms are highlighted as the fundamental causal-explanatory structure. However, recent works enhance the “explanatory space” in biology by introducing new causal-explanatory structures that differ from mechanisms. I compare and examine mechanisms, pathways, and cascades, emphasizing their characteristics as well as the investigative and explanatory strategies, i.e., the strategies through which these structures are discovered and represented. I argue that differences in the characteristics of causal-explanatory structures influence their corresponding strategies, thus enhancing the “explanatory space” in biology.

Keywords

philosophy of science; philosophy of biology; scientific explanation; causal explanation; causal structures; mechanism; pathway; cascade; explanatory space

Hrčak ID:

351152

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/351152

Publication date:

20.9.2026.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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