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23011
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Modern accounts of causation involve either processes or counterfactuals [Baron/Miller]
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Full Idea:
The two major contemporary theories of causation are process theories and counterfactual theories. …Process theories treat it as something to be discovered. …Counterfactual theories ignore processes, and treat it in terms of truth and falsity.
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From:
Baron,S/Miller,K (Intro to the Philosophy of Time [2019], 6.1)
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A reaction:
I take the counterfactual theory to be a specialised branch of the project of analytic metaphysics, which seeks the logical form of causation sentences, using possible worlds semantics. In the real word its processes or nothing.
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15253
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If the concept of a cause includes its usual effects, we call it a 'power' [Harré/Madden]
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Full Idea:
The concept of cause may come to include the concepts of its usual effects. Concepts of this character are used in science, and in common language, to ascribe powers.
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From:
Harré,R./Madden,E.H. (Causal Powers [1975], 3.II)
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A reaction:
See Theme 8|c|3 in Theme/Structure for more ideas about powers. It's hard to see how you could specify a cause at all if you weren't allowed to say what it does. I love powers, and want to make them the key idea in all of metaphysics.
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23013
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The main process theory of causation says it is transference of mass, energy, momentum or charge [Baron/Miller]
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Full Idea:
According to contemporary process theories of causation it consists of the transference of a 'mark', which is always some conserved quantity. Candidates (from science) are mass, energy, momentum and electric charge.
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From:
Baron,S/Miller,K (Intro to the Philosophy of Time [2019], 6.2.2)
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A reaction:
Given my commitment to physicalism, this is my preferred theory of causation. It began with the suggestion of energy-transfer, but has broadened into the present idea. It is an updated version of the Newton view, as the meeting of objects.
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23014
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If causes are processes, what is causation by omission? (Distinguish legal from scientific causes?) [Baron/Miller]
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Full Idea:
Process theories of causation face a serious problem, such as killing a plant by failing to water it - a cause by omission. …Defenders of the theory propose two concepts of causation: one for legal and one for scientific contexts.
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From:
Baron,S/Miller,K (Intro to the Philosophy of Time [2019], 6.2.3)
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A reaction:
Not much of a problem, I think. Clearly the scientific concept has priority. The plant died of dehydration, resulting from the consumption and evaporation of the available water. The human causes of that situation are legion.
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15278
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Humean accounts of causal direction by time fail, because cause and effect can occur together [Harré/Madden]
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Full Idea:
The Humean effort to ground the intuition of causal directionality on temporal priority of cause alone fails, because in fact some causes and effects are simultaneous. The moving of the knife and separation of the orange occur together.
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From:
Harré,R./Madden,E.H. (Causal Powers [1975], 6.IV)
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A reaction:
Since I take causation to be largely concerned with movements of 'energy', this idea that cause and effect might be simultaneous sounds more like a matter of pragmatics and convention. Moving the knife and moving the orange are different.
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15217
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Efficient causes combine stimulus to individuals, absence of contraints on activity [Harré/Madden]
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Full Idea:
Efficient causes comprise both the presence of stimuli which activate a quiescent individual, and the absence or removal of constraints upon an individual already in a state of activity.
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From:
Harré,R./Madden,E.H. (Causal Powers [1975], 1.II.B)
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A reaction:
This is part of an account of causation in term of 'powers', with which I agree. Before you object, there is always going to be something about causation which is mind boggling weird, and probably leaves even God bewildered.
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