Tracing the productive continuity of social mechanisms

In this paper, I conceptualize the notion of the productive continuity of a social mechanism. The continuity of a mechanism refers to the fact that each part of that mechanism should be causally connected to another; no part of the mechanism is isolated. Moreover, each part of the mechanism should produce, i.e. cause, the next part. The productive continuity of mechanisms forms an important part of philosophers of science Machamer, Darden, and Craver (MDC)’s “new mechanist” conceptualization of biological mechanisms.