近年來，有些哲學家主張解釋關係可以視為是一種起因關係；而這一種起因關係的內涵，基本上可視為與被操縱的相關變數間之關係的不變性有關－亦即，與一種可操縱的不變關係有關。這種可操縱性理論傾向於將起因關係化約為可操縱的不變關係。然而，藉由對一個當代計量經濟學案例之研討，本篇論文主張只有當目標關係在其所賴以生成的因果鍵或起因結構是不受其他干擾因素影響的情況下，可操縱的不變關係才有可能成立。換言之，可操縱的不變關係僅可被視為一種特殊的起因關係；也因此，不變性的概念絕不能取代起因性的概念。再者，本篇論文的論述也顯示：對起因性與不變性作區分，將對經濟理論建構與經濟理論發展之哲學探討有其方法上的重要意義。 1. 導論 2. 操縱性，不變性，超外生性，及起因結構 2.1可操縱性的起因理論 2.2弱外生性的概念 2.3不變性的概念及其與超外生性概念之間的關係 2.4我們能等同起因關係與不變關係嗎？ 3. 起因性與不變性的區分在方法論上的重要意義 4. 對經濟理論建構與經濟理論發展給一個起因結構式的闡釋 5. 結論

　　　　　Recently, certain philosophers have argued that an explanatory relation is a causal relation that is fundamentally about the invariance of a relation between variables of interest under intervention - i.e., about a manipulable invariant relation. This manipulative theory tends to reduce a causal relation to a manipulable invariant relation. By explicating a case from contemporary econometrics, this paper argues that a manipulable invariant relation can be obtained only when the causal chain or causal structure of the targeted relation is free from disturbing influences. In other words, a manipulable invariant relation can be regarded only as a special kind of causal relation, and so the notion of invariance can never replace the idea of causation. This paper also shows that the distinction between causation and invariance has methodological import concerning the philosophical discussion of economic theorizing and of economic theory development.