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Single Idea 11960
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 2. Types of cause
]
Full Idea
I take for granted the primacy of singular causation. A singular causal state of affairs is not constituted by a generalization. 'Aspirin relieves headache' is made true by 'This/that aspirin relieves this/that headache'.
Gist of Idea
Singular causation is prior to general causation; each aspirin produces the aspirin generalization
Source
George Molnar (Powers [1998], 12.1)
Book Ref
Molnar,George: 'Powers: a study in metaphysics', ed/tr. Mumford,Stephen [OUP 2003], p.187
A Reaction
[He cites Tooley for the opposite view] I wholly agree with Molnar, and am inclined to link it with the primacy of individual essences over kind essences.
The
21 ideas
with the same theme
[categories of links between successive events]:
13156
|
Fancy being unable to distinguish a cause from its necessary background conditions!
[Plato]
|
5219
|
Types of cause are nature, necessity and chance, and mind and human agency
[Aristotle]
|
11252
|
The 'form' of a thing explains why the matter constitutes that particular thing
[Aristotle, by Politis]
|
11253
|
A 'material' cause/explanation is the form of whatever is the source
[Aristotle, by Politis]
|
13107
|
Causes produce a few things in their own right, and innumerable things coincidentally
[Aristotle]
|
19425
|
In the schools the Four Causes are just lumped together in a very obscure way
[Leibniz]
|
8367
|
Causation is defined in terms of a single sequence, and constant conjunction is no part of it
[Ducasse]
|
15823
|
Some propose a distinct 'agent causation', as well as 'event causation'
[Chisholm]
|
17689
|
Absences might be effects, but surely not causes?
[Armstrong]
|
8435
|
Causes are between events ('the explosion') or between facts/states of affairs ('a bomb dropped')
[Bennett]
|
15253
|
If the concept of a cause includes its usual effects, we call it a 'power'
[Harré/Madden]
|
15555
|
Explaining match lighting in general is like explaining one lighting of a match
[Lewis]
|
8388
|
Causation is either direct realism, Humean reduction, non-Humean reduction or theoretical realism
[Tooley]
|
8389
|
Causation distinctions: reductionism/realism; Humean/non-Humean states; observable/non-observable
[Tooley]
|
11960
|
Singular causation is prior to general causation; each aspirin produces the aspirin generalization
[Molnar]
|
4071
|
Causation can be seen in counterfactual terms, or as increased probability, or as energy flow
[Crane]
|
4789
|
Three divisions of causal theories: generalist/singularist, intrinsic/extrinsic, reductive/non-reductive
[Psillos]
|
17528
|
The dispositional account explains causation, as stimulation and manifestation of dispositions
[Bird]
|
16722
|
Scholastic causation is by changes in the primary qualities of hot, cold, wet, dry
[Pasnau]
|
22605
|
Humeans describe the surface of causation, while powers accounts aim at deeper explanations
[Ingthorsson]
|
22607
|
Time and space are not causal, but they determine natural phenomena
[Ingthorsson]
|