Not so simple! Causal mechanisms increase preference for complex explanations

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Philosophy of Science

Background:

• Causal explanations are fundamental to human cognition.
• The role of mechanisms in causal explanations is debated.
• Simplicity is often considered a virtue in explanations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how the inclusion of causal mechanisms affects the evaluation of explanations.
• To explore the relationship between explanation complexity and adherence to simplicity principles.
• To understand how mechanistic information influences the sense of understanding.

Main Methods:

• Five experiments were conducted to test hypotheses.
• Participants evaluated explanations with and without explicit mechanisms.
• Factors influencing explanation preference and perceived understanding were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Explanations including causal mechanisms were evaluated differently.
• The presence of mechanisms reduced adherence to the simplicity principle.
• More complex explanations with mechanistic details promoted a greater sense of understanding.

Conclusions:

• Causal mechanisms provide a distinct basis for evaluating explanations beyond mere probability.
• Mechanistic information, even in complex explanations, enhances understanding.
• The inclusion of mechanisms shifts the focus from parsimony to a deeper account of causal networks.