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Single Idea 15562

[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 1. Causation ]

Full Idea

Causation is the ancestral of causal dependence: event c causes event e iff either e depends on c, or e depends on an intermediate event which in turn depends on c, or....

Gist of Idea

Causation is a general relation derived from instances of causal dependence

Source

David Lewis (Events [1986], I)

Book Ref

Lewis,David: 'Philosophical Papers Vol.2' [OUP 1986], p.242

A Reaction

This is Lewis making sure that we don't postulate some huge bogus thing called 'Causation' which is supposed to be in charge of Nature. Good point.

Related Idea

Idea 10032 'Ancestral' relations are derived by iterating back from a given relation [Frege, by George/Velleman]

The 32 ideas with the same theme [general comments on the nature of causation]:

367 Anaxagoras says mind produces order and causes everything [Anaxagoras, by Plato]
327 There are two types of cause, the necessary and the divine [Plato]
17252 Acting on a body is either creating or destroying a property in it [Hobbes]
23012 Newtonian causation is changes of motion resulting from collisions [Newton, by Baron/Miller]
4772 If a singular effect is studied, its cause can only be inferred from the types of events involved [Hume]
2245 A priori it looks as if a cause could have absolutely any effect [Hume]
23632 Similar effects come from similar causes, and causes are only what are sufficient for the effects [Reid]
15614 Old metaphysics tried to grasp eternal truths through causal events, which is impossible [Hegel]
15247 Whitehead held that perception was a necessary feature of all causation [Whitehead, by Harré/Madden]
22955 Einstein took causation to be the bedrock of physics [Einstein, by Coveney/Highfield]
8436 Either cause and effect are subsumed under a conditional because of properties, or it is counterfactual [Bennett]
8441 Delaying a fire doesn't cause it, but hastening it might [Bennett]
10371 Distinguish causation, which is in the world, from explanations, which depend on descriptions [Davidson, by Schaffer,J]
8430 Causal statements are used to explain, to predict, to control, to attribute responsibility, and in theories [Kim]
15562 Causation is a general relation derived from instances of causal dependence [Lewis]
8324 The problem is to explain how causal laws and relations connect, and how they link to the world [Sosa/Tooley]
8404 Explain single events by general rules, or vice versa, or probability explains both, or they are unconnected [Field,H]
3890 'Cause' used to just mean any valid explanation [Scruton]
22927 The logical properties of causation are asymmetry, transitivity and irreflexivity [Le Poidevin]
19068 Causation interests us because we want to explain change [Mumford]
4399 Causes clearly make a difference, are recipes for events, explain effects, and are evidence [Psillos]
4400 Theories of causation are based either on regularity, or on intrinsic relations of properties [Psillos]
4403 We can't base our account of causation on explanation, because it is the wrong way round [Psillos]
17307 Nowadays causation is usually understood in terms of equations and variable ranges [Schaffer,J]
10359 In causation there are three problems of relata, and three metaphysical problems [Schaffer,J]
10372 Causation may not be transitive; the last event may follow from the first, but not be caused by it [Schaffer,J]
10374 There are at least ten theories about causal connections [Schaffer,J]
23782 Causation is the exercise of powers [Williams,NE]
23785 Causation needs to explain stasis, as well as change [Williams,NE]
14566 Causation by absence is not real causation, but part of our explanatory practices [Mumford/Anjum]
14577 Causation may not be transitive. Does a fire cause itself to be extinguished by the sprinklers? [Mumford/Anjum]
23011 Modern accounts of causation involve either processes or counterfactuals [Baron/Miller]