<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In a recent paper (Haslanger 2016), Sally Haslanger argues for the importance of structural explanation. Roughly, a structural explana- tion of the behaviour of a given object appeals to features of the struc- tures—physical, social, or otherwise—the object is embedded in. It is opposed to individualistic explanations, where what is appealed to is just the object and its properties. For example, an individualistic explanation of why someone got the grade they did might appeal to features of the essay they wrote—its being well-written, answering the set question, etc. But if the class is graded on a curve, then a better explanation will appeal to features of the class—of the social structure in which the student is embedded. That she wrote a better paper than 90% of the class explains better than that she wrote a well-argued paper. In this paper, I get clear as to various candidate concepts of structure that we might appeal to in structural explanations, argue that Haslanger’s preferred account is lacking, and present an alterna- tive that is more conducive to social structural explanation.</p></abstract>

In a recent paper (Haslanger 2016), Sally Haslanger argues for the importance of structural explanation. Roughly, a structural explana- tion of the behaviour of a given object appeals to features of the struc- tures—physical, social, or otherwise—the object is embedded in. It is opposed to individualistic explanations, where what is appealed to is just the object and its properties. For example, an individualistic explanation of why someone got the grade they did might appeal to features of the essay they wrote—its being well-written, answering the set question, etc. But if the class is graded on a curve, then a better explanation will appeal to features of the class—of the social structure in which the student is embedded. That she wrote a better paper than 90% of the class explains better than that she wrote a well-argued paper. In this paper, I get clear as to various candidate concepts of structure that we might appeal to in structural explanations, argue that Haslanger’s preferred account is lacking, and present an alterna- tive that is more conducive to social structural explanation.

The Structures of Social Structural Explanation: Comments on Haslanger’s <italic>What is (Social) Structural Explanation?</italic>

Disputatio

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The Structures of Social Structural Explanation: Comments on Haslanger’s 

In a recent paper (Haslanger 2016), Sally Haslanger argues for the importance of structural explanation. Roughly, a structural explana- tion of the behaviour...

The Structures of Social Structural Explanation: Comments on Haslanger’s What is (Social) Structural Explanation?

Published Online: Jun 20, 2019

Page range: 173 - 199

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/disp-2018-0012

Keywords
Explanation, social philosophy, social structures, Haslanger

© 2018 Rachel Katharine Sterken, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The Structures of Social Structural Explanation: Comments on Haslanger’s What is (Social) Structural Explanation?

Published Online: Jun 20, 2019

Page range: 173 - 199

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/disp-2018-0012

KeywordsExplanation, social philosophy, social structures, Haslanger

© 2018 Rachel Katharine Sterken, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Explanation, social philosophy, social structures, Haslanger