Mechanism vs. Procedure — What's the Difference?

A machine or mechanical appliance.

An established or official way of doing something

The arrangement of connected parts in a machine.

A manner of proceeding; a way of performing or effecting something

A system of parts that operate or interact like those of a machine

A series of steps taken to accomplish an end

An instrument or a process, physical or mental, by which something is done or comes into being

(Computers) A set of instructions that performs a specific task; a subroutine or function.

A habitual manner of acting to achieve an end.

A set of established forms or methods for conducting the affairs of an organized body such as a business, club, or government.

(Psychology) A usually unconscious mental and emotional pattern that shapes behavior in a given situation or environment

(Law) The set of rules under which litigation is conducted, especially in contrast to the set of substantive legal principles that determine the merits of legal controversies and disputes.

The sequence of steps in a chemical reaction.

A particular method for performing a task.

(Philosophy) The doctrine that all natural phenomena are explicable by material causes and mechanical principles.

A series of small tasks or steps taken to accomplish an end.

(within a machine or machinery) Any mechanical means for the conversion or control of motion, or the transmission or control of power.

(uncountable) The set of established forms or methods of an organized body for accomplishing a certain task or tasks.

Any combination of cams, gears, links, belts, chains and logical mechanical elements.

The steps taken in an action or other legal proceeding.

A group of entities, such as objects, that interact together.

(obsolete) That which results; issue; product.

A mental, physical, or chemical process.

(computing) A subroutine or function coded to perform a specific task, but does not return a value.

Any process of, or system designed to manage useful energy conversion.

(medicine) A surgical operation.

(philosophy) The theory that all natural phenomena can be explained by physical causes.

The act or manner of proceeding or moving forward; progress; process; operation; conduct.

The arrangement or relation of the parts of a machine; the parts of a machine, taken collectively; the arrangement or relation of the parts of anything as adapted to produce an effect; as, the mechanism of a watch; the mechanism of a sewing machine; the mechanism of a seed pod.

A step taken; an act performed; a proceeding; the steps taken in an action or other legal proceeding.

The series of causal relations that operate to produce an effect in any system; as, the mechanism of a chemical reaction.

That which results; issue; product.

Mechanical operation or action.

A particular course of action intended to achieve a result;

An ideal machine; a combination of movable bodies constituting a machine, but considered only with regard to relative movements.

A process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work;

The atomic process that occurs during a chemical reaction;

A set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program

The technical aspects of doing something;

A mode of conducting legal and parliamentary proceedings

A natural object resembling a machine in structure or function;

(philosophy) the philosophical theory that all phenomena can be explained in terms of physical or biological causes

Device consisting of a piece of machinery; has moving parts that perform some function