Single Idea 16267

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / c. Counterfactual causation]

Full Idea

When we think we know the cause of an event, we typically assent to the corresponding Hume counterfactual.

Clarification

Hume - 'If C had not occurred, E would not have occurred'

Gist of Idea

If we know the cause of an event, we seem to assent to the counterfactual

Source

Tim Maudlin (The Metaphysics within Physics [2007], 5)

Book Reference

Maudlin,Tim: 'The Metaphysics within Physics' [OUP 2007], p.143


A Reaction

This is the correct grounding of the counterfactual approach - not that we think counterfactuals are causation, but that knowledge of causation will map neatly onto a network of counterfactuals, thus providing a logic for the whole process.