A scientific realist approach to examining mechanisms in context bridges idiographic and nomothetic approaches to causation.

Question

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Scientific realism asserts that scientific theories provide true or approximately true descriptions of both observable and unobservable aspects of the world. Thus, it provides a bridge between idiographic and nomothetic approaches to causation by combining generalization with consideration of specific contexts and mechanisms. Mechanisms are the causal pathways through which events or situations produce specific outcomes, and scientific realism holds that these mechanisms exist independently of our knowledge or understanding of them. Therefore, examining mechanisms in context can lead to both generalizable theories and detailed explanations of specific events or situations.

A Scientific Realist Approach to Examining Mechanisms in Context Bridges