A Theory of Causation: Causae Causantes (Originating Causes) as Inus Conditions in Branching Space-Times
نویسنده
چکیده
Branching space-times (BST) theory, as developed elsewhere, permits a sound and rigorously definable notion of ‘originating cause’ or causa causans—a type of transition event—of an outcome event. Mackie has famously suggested that causes form a family of ‘inus’ conditions, where an inus condition is ‘an insufficient but non-redundant part of an unnecessary but sufficient condition’. In this essay the needed concepts of BST theory are developed in detail, and it is then proved that the causae causantes of a given outcome event have exactly the structure of a set of Mackie inus conditions. The proof requires the assumption that there is no EPR-like ‘funny business’. This seems enough to constitute a theory of ‘causation’ in at least one of its many senses.
منابع مشابه
Probability Theory and Causation: A Branching Space-Times Analysis
We provide a formally rigorous framework for integrating singular causation, as under stood by Nuel Belnap’s theory of causae causantes, and objective single case probab ilities. The central notion is that of a causal probability space whose sample space consists of causal alternatives. Such a probability space is generally not isomorphic to a product space. We give a causally motivated stateme...
متن کاملGlobalisation: an Analysis of Theoretical Perspectives and Dominant Causes
The paper aims to give an analysis of globalisation in terms of its theoretical perspectives, root causes and general policy implications. Following the presentation of some definitions and of the specific character of globalisation, the paper considers the role of the technological environment and of transnational companies in the process. It then analyses the main theoretical approaches or th...
متن کاملHow causal probabilities might fit into our objectively
We suggest a rigorous theory of how objective single-case transition probabilities fit into our world. The theory combines indeterminism and relativity in the “branching space-times” pattern, and relies on the existing theory of causae causantes (originating causes). Its fundamental suggestion is that (at least in simple cases) the probabilities of all transitions can be computed from the basic...
متن کاملHow Causal Probabilities Might Fit into Our Objectively Indeterministic World
We suggest a rigorous theory of how objective single-case transition probabilities fit into our world. The theory combines indeterminism and relativity in the ‘‘branching space–times’’ pattern, and relies on the existing theory of causae causantes (originating causes). Its fundamental suggestion is that (at least in simple cases) the probabilities of all transitions can be computed from the bas...
متن کاملNuel Belnap No-common-cause Epr-like Funny Business in Branching Space-times
There is “no EPR-like funny business” if (contrary to apparent fact) our world is as indeterministic as you wish, but is free from the EPR-like quantum mechanical phenomena such as is sometimes described in terms of superluminal causation or correlation between distant events. The theory of branching spacetimes can be used to sharpen the theoretical dichotomy between “EPR-like funny business” a...
متن کامل