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Full Idea
The rationalist view of causation takes it that to make effects intelligible, it must be shown that they are in principle deducible from their causes.
Gist of Idea
For rationalists, it is necessary that effects be deducible from their causes
Source
John Cottingham (The Rationalists [1988], p.92)
Book Ref
Cottingham,John: 'The Rationalists' [OUP 1988], p.92
A Reaction
This has intuitive appeal, but deduction is only possible with further premises, such as the laws of physics. The effects of human behaviour look a bit tricky, even if we cause them.
| 4303 | The notion of substance lies at the heart of rationalist metaphysics [Cottingham] |
| 4304 | Descartes says there are two substance, Spinoza one, and Leibniz infinitely many [Cottingham] |
| 4306 | For rationalists, it is necessary that effects be deducible from their causes [Cottingham] |