Across the boundaries : extrapolation in biology and social science / Daniel P. Steel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Steel, Daniel, 1970-

Series:

Environmental ethics and science policy.

Environmental ethics and science policy series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Medicine--Research--Philosophy.

Medicine.

Biology--Research--Philosophy.

Biology.

Social sciences--Research--Philosophy.

Social sciences.

Extrapolation.

Causation.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (254 p.)

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Steel argues that previous accounts of extrapolation are inadequate and proposes a better approach that is able to answer methodological critiques of extrapolation from animal models to humans. His work develops the thought that knowledge of mechanisms linking cause to effect can serve as a basis for extrapolation.

Contents:

""Contents""; ""Preface ""; ""1 Extrapolation and Heterogeneity""; ""2 Interventions, Causal Effects, and Causal Relevance""; ""2.1 Interventions""; ""2.2 Causal Effects""; ""2.3 Causal Relevance""; ""2.3.1 The Probability-Raising Definition""; ""2.3.2 Causal Relevance for Quantitative Variables""; ""2.3.3 Contextual Unanimity""; ""2.4 Conclusion""; ""3 Causal Structure and Mechanisms""; ""3.1 It�s Nice, but Is It Causality?""; ""3.2 Causality and Theoretical Terms""; ""3.3 Causal Structure""; ""3.4 Causal Structure in Molecular Biology""; ""3.4.1 What�s a Mechanism?""

""3.4.2 Mechanisms, Modularity, and Evolvability""""3.5 Causal Structure in Social Science""; ""3.5.1 What�s a Social Mechanism?""; ""3.5.2 Modularity and Social Mechanisms""; ""3.6 Conclusion""; ""4 The Disruption Principle""; ""4.1 HIV Replication""; ""4.2 Formulating the Principle""; ""4.3 Resistance to HIV Infection""; ""4.4 Why Believe the Disruption Principle?""; ""4.4.1 The Disruption Principle and the PCC""; ""4.4.2 Genetic Redundancy and the Faithfulness Condition""; ""4.5 Conclusion""; ""5 Extrapolation, Capacities, and Mechanisms""; ""5.1 Simple Induction""

""5.2 Powers and Capacities""""5.3 Mechanisms-Based Extrapolation""; ""5.3.1 The Existing Literature on Mechanisms and Extrapolation""; ""5.3.2 Comparative Process Tracing""; ""5.4 Critiques of Animal Extrapolation""; ""5.4.1 No Relevant Difference""; ""5.4.2 The Extrapolator�s Circle""; ""5.4.3 HAM Versus CAM?""; ""5.5 Conclusion""; ""6 Ceteris Paribus and Extrapolation""; ""6.1 The Many Meanings of Ceteris Paribus""; ""6.1.1 Comparative, Normative, and Definite""; ""6.1.2 The Completer Approach""; ""6.2 Extrapolating Probabilistic Causal Claims""

""6.2.1 From Mechanisms to Causal Effects""""6.2.2 Consonance and Causal Relevance""; ""6.3 Ceteris Paribus and Extrapolation""; ""6.3.1 Extrapolation in Extant Accounts of Ceteris Paribus""; ""6.3.2 Completers and Inference Schemas""; ""6.4 Conclusion""; ""7 Reduction and Corrective Asymmetry""; ""7.1 Abstracting from the Gory Details""; ""7.2 What�s Reductionism?""; ""7.2.1 Four Motives and Three Desiderata""; ""7.2.2 Reductionisms""; ""7.2.3 Corrective Asymmetry""; ""7.3 Can a Reductionist Be a Pluralist?""; ""7.3.1 Core Principles of Pluralism""; ""7.3.2 Autonomy and Unification""

""7.3.3 Autonomy and Causal Reality""""7.4 Conclusion""; ""8 Extrapolation in Social Science""; ""8.1 Guala on External Validity""; ""8.2 Are Social Mechanisms Causal Structure?""; ""8.2.1 Structure-Altering Interventions""; ""8.2.2 Anticipating Changes in Mechanisms""; ""8.3 Two Case Studies""; ""8.3.1 Extrapolation and Welfare Reform""; ""8.3.2 Conscientious Simple Induction""; ""8.3.3 Preference Reversals in the Real World""; ""8.4 Conclusion""; ""9 Social Mechanisms and Process Tracing""; ""9.1 Confounders and Instrumental Variables""; ""9.2 Mechanisms to the Rescue?""

""9.2.1 Kincaid�s Objections""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-236) and index.

ISBN:

0-19-045024-X

1-281-16230-2

9786611162306

0-19-804414-3

1-4356-2050-X

OCLC:

191042836