Single Idea 8325

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / b. Nomological causation]

Full Idea

The dominant view is that causal laws are more basic than causal relations, with relations being logically supervenient on causal laws, and on properties and event relations; some, though, defend the singularist view, in which events alone can be related.

Gist of Idea

The dominant view is that causal laws are prior; a minority say causes can be explained singly

Source

E Sosa / M Tooley (Introduction to 'Causation' [1993], §1)

Book Reference

'Causation', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Tooley,M. [OUP 1993], p.1


A Reaction

I am deeply suspicious about laws (see Idea 5470). I suspect that the laws are merely descriptions of the regularities that arise from the single instances of causation. We won't explain the single instances, but then laws don't 'explain' them either.

Related Idea

Idea 5470 The idea of laws of nature arose in the Middle Ages [Hall,AR, by Ellis]