跨层次因果机制解释:透视“科尔曼之舟”  

Cross-level Causal Mechanism Explanation:Investigating Coleman's Boat Paradigm

作　　者：臧雷振 盖建泽 Zang Leizhen;Gai Jianze

机构地区：[1]东北农业大学公共管理与法学院,100193 [2]中国农业大学人文与发展学院,100193

出　　处：《世界社会科学》2024年第1期227-241,248,共16页SOCIAL SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL

基　　金：国家社会科学基金重大项目“互联网发展与国家治理体系和治理能力现代化研究”(22&ZD028)的阶段性成果。

摘　　要：因果机制解释兴起于对规律性因果与概率性因果局限的回应,其关键目标在于如何以读者可接纳的方式有效呈现研究对象因果机制的发生过程。以结构个体主义方法论思想为基础的“科尔曼之舟”图示及其对跨层次因果机制解释的具象化,可帮助实现上述目标。以谢林“隔离模型”为例,运用“科尔曼之舟”图示可以呈现“隔离模型”因果机制的发生过程及在经验研究中所面临的潜在挑战,展现社会科学研究中逻辑思维与形象化思维的互补和差异,即逻辑思维旨在提炼、归纳客观事物的发展规律,而形象化思维意在对其直观刻画。这两者的结合有助于研究者和实践者在理解问题时,实现“深度”与“广度”的有机平衡,但对客观事物发展规律的不同追求也导致两者的结合难以有效覆盖复杂且多元的社会现象。通过透视源于西方学界的跨层次因果机制解释经典图示,为当今中国社会科学研究提供方法论启迪。Causal mechanism explanation arises in response to the limitations of deterministic and probabilistic causation,with the primary aim being to elucidate the occurrence of causal mechanism within the research objects in an acceptable manner to the audience.The Coleman's Boat Diagram,grounded in the methodology of structural individualism,can serve as a pivotal tool in realizing the aforementioned objectives by visualizing the cross-level casual mechanism explanation.Taking Schelling's Segregation Model as a case study,it is expected to clarify the foundational logic of this mode and identify the potential challenges arising during empirical investigation.In doing so,this case unveils the synergistic and distinct roles of logic and visual thinking to understand complex social phenomena.The findings show that logical thinking aims to refine and summarize the development laws of objective entities,while visual thinking endeavors to depict them intuitively.Integrating these approaches facilitates an organic equilibrium between depth and breadth in problem comprehension.However,the divergent focus on elucidating the developmental laws of objective phenomena poses challenges in comprehensively understanding the complexity and diversity of social phenomena.This article offers methodological insights for contemporary Chinese political dynamics by examining the classic diagram of cross-level causal mechanism,as developed within Western academia.

关 键 词：因果机制 科尔曼之舟 隔离模型 结构主义 研究方法 

分 类 号：C3[社会学]