Abstract

Roy Bhaskar’s Critical Realism (CR) is a popular philosophy in Information Systems (IS) research and is often linked to mechanism-based explanation (MBE) in IS. This association implies that (i) CR and MBE go hand in hand in the philosophy of science; or (ii) CR is the only available; or (iii) preferred philosophy for MBEs. However, the paper argues against the idea that CR is the only or preferred philosophy for MBEs. The role of CR in modern philosophy of MBE is marginal or even absent. CR carries extra baggage such as mystifying mechanisms as “unobservable.” The proponents of CR in IS should explain how CR’s mechanisms are distinct or preferred over MBEs in modern philosophy of science. Before this is shown, IS mechanism research and philosophy should reflect modern philosophy of science rather than CR.

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