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The philosophical view that posits the existence of unobservable structures generating events is critical realism. This perspective combines elements of realism and constructivism, suggesting that while we can never fully access the underlying structures of reality, we can infer their existence through observable phenomena and causal mechanisms.

Critical realism maintains that these unobservable structures, such as social systems, institutions, and individual psychological constructs, have real effects on observable events and experiences. This understanding allows researchers to account for complexities in human behavior and social interactions, emphasizing that there is a reality that is both shaped by and influences human perceptions.

In contrast, positivism strictly emphasizes observable phenomena and often rejects the notion of unobservable entities influencing events, focusing instead on empirical data and verification. Interpretivism leans towards understanding the subjective meanings individuals assign to their experiences rather than asserting that unobservable structures cause events. Objective realism, while it acknowledges an objective reality, does not emphasize the generative relationship between unobservable structures and observable events in the same way that critical realism does.