结构机制解释和宇宙大爆炸后结构机制关系的发展

Structure-Mechanism Explanation and the Evolution of the StructureMechanism Relationship After the Big Bang

结构机制解释是社会学分析的核心,但为什么必须如此呢?例如,为什么物理学中的解释以法则而不是结构机制为核心呢?结构和机制之间的关系是什么?是结构决定机制,抑或反之?社会学中除了结构机制解释之外是否还存在其他形式的解释?如果只存在结构机制解释的话,那么那些强调对地方知识的解读以及各种偶然性在社会发展中重要性的学问应该如何来理解?受到这些和其他困惑的驱使,笔者整合了物理学、化学、生物学和社会科学知识,提出了一个能捕捉到宇宙大爆炸后结构和机制关系不断演变的复杂关系的统一模型。基于这个模型,笔者讨论了结构机制关系是如何演变的,其中有哪些可循的规律,以及这个模型对社会分析来说具有什么含义。

Structure-mechanism explanation is at the core of sociological analysis.But why does it have to be? For instance,why is the explanation in physics centering on laws rather than structures and mechanisms? What is the relationship between structures and mechanisms? Do structures determine mechanisms or vice versa,or are there any other kinds of explanations except for structure-mechanism explanation? If only structural-mechanistic explanations exist,how could writings that emphasize the interpretation of local knowledge and highlight the importance of contingencies be understood? Driven by these and other confusions,I integrate my physics,chemistry,biology,and social sciences knowledge to propose a unified model that captures a constantly evolving and complex relationship between structures and mechanisms,formed immediately after the Big Bang.Based on this model,I discuss how the structure-mechanism relationship evolves,what are the patterns behind,as well as what are the model's various implications for social analyses.