Conceptual Reconstruction and Epistemic Import: Allosteric Mechanistic Explanations As a Unified Theory-Net

Lucía Federico,Karina Alleva,José Díez

doi:10.22201/iifs.18704905e.2017.179

Abstract

The goal of this article is to show that formal analysis and reconstructions may be useful to discuss and shed light on substantive meta-theoretical issues. We proceed here by exemplification, analysing and reconstructing as a case study a paradigmatic biochemical theory, the Monod-Wyman-Changeux (MWC) theory of allosterism, and applying the reconstruction to the discussion of some issues raised by prominent representatives of the new mechanist philosophy. We conclude that our study shows that at least in this case mechanicism and (some version of) more traditional accounts are not rivals but complementary approaches.

Highlights

Application: Theories, Laws and Mechanisms The new mechanist philosophy was developed focusing mainly on molecular biology, biochemistry and neuroscience, highlighting important aspects of scientific practice insufficiently emphasized, when not completely ignored, by traditional philosophy of science, both the statement and the model-theoretic accounts
Cation, analysing and reconstructing as a case study a paradigmatic biochemical theory, the Monod-Wyman-Changeux (MWC) theory of allosterism, and applying the reconstruction to the discussion of some issues raised by prominent representatives of the new mechanist philosophy
We defend (a) that the unified aspects of allosteric explanations, which are essential for a correct understanding of such practice, cannot be accounted for merely in mechanistic terms and are well explicated by the notion of theory-net; and (b) that the notion of law, in the weak sense of non-accidental —and possibly domainspecific— generalization, as they appear in the allosteric theory-net, is essential for allosteric explanations

Summary

Introduction

Application: Theories, Laws and Mechanisms The new mechanist philosophy was developed focusing mainly on molecular biology, biochemistry and neuroscience, highlighting important aspects of scientific practice insufficiently emphasized, when not completely ignored, by traditional philosophy of science, both the statement and the model-theoretic accounts.

Objectives

Results

Conclusion