Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Vittorio H��sle, Dean W. Zimmerman and C.B. Martin

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3 ideas

26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / b. Causal relata
Instead of a cause followed by an effect, we have dispositions in reciprocal manifestation [Martin,CB]
     Full Idea: The two-event cause-and-effect view is easily avoided and replaced by the view of mutual manifestations of reciprocal disposition partners, suggesting a natural contemporaneity.
     From: C.B. Martin (The Mind in Nature [2008], 05.1)
     A reaction: This view, which I find much more congenial than the traditional one, is explored in the ideas of Mumford and Anjum.
Causation should be explained in terms of dispositions and manifestations [Martin,CB]
     Full Idea: Disposition and manifestation are the basic categories by means of which cause and effect are to be explained.
     From: C.B. Martin (The Mind in Nature [2008], 07.8)
     A reaction: 'Manifestation' sounds a bit subjective. The manifestation evident to us may not indicate what is really going on below the surface. I like his basic picture.
26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / c. Counterfactual causation
Causal counterfactuals are just clumsy linguistic attempts to indicate dispositions [Martin,CB]
     Full Idea: 'Causal' counterfactuals have a place, of course, but only as clumsy and inexact linguistic gestures to dispositions, and they should be kept in that place.
     From: C.B. Martin (The Mind in Nature [2008], 02.6)
     A reaction: Counterfactuals only seem to give a regularity account of causation, by correlating an effect with a minimal context which will give rise to it. Surely dispositions run deeper than that?