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Single Idea 4771
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / a. Constant conjunction
]
Full Idea
What needs to be stressed is that in both of Hume's definitions of cause, an individual sequence of events is deemed causal only because something extrinsic to the sequence occurs (be it conjunctions, or a mental link).
Gist of Idea
In both of Hume's definitions, causation is extrinsic to the sequence of events
Source
comment on David Hume (Enquiry Conc Human Understanding [1748], VII.II.60) by Stathis Psillos - Causation and Explanation §1.9
Book Ref
Psillos,Stathis: 'Causation and Explanation' [Acumen 2002], p.50
A Reaction
Simple but important. Hume's basic claim is that there is no 'causation' in events, apart from the events themselves. Hence no necessity, on top of the apparent contingency.
The
24 ideas
with the same theme
[causation as a regular link between event-types]:
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2364
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Causation is only observation of similar events following each other, with nothing visible in between
[Hobbes]
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6730
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We discover natural behaviour by observing settled laws of nature, not necessary connections
[Berkeley]
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3662
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Hume says we can only know constant conjunctions, not that that's what causation IS
[Hume, by Strawson,G]
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2193
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No causes can be known a priori, but only from experience of constant conjunctions
[Hume]
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4771
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In both of Hume's definitions, causation is extrinsic to the sequence of events
[Psillos on Hume]
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5194
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Hume's definition of cause as constantly joined thoughts can't cover undiscovered laws
[Ayer on Hume]
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2221
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A cause is either similar events following one another, or an experience always suggesting a second experience
[Hume]
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2234
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It is only when two species of thing are constantly conjoined that we can infer one from the other
[Hume]
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16946
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Causation is just invariance, as long as it is described in general terms
[Quine on Hume]
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15250
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If impressions, memories and ideas only differ in vivacity, nothing says it is memory, or repetition
[Whitehead on Hume]
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8383
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Day and night are constantly conjoined, but they don't cause one another
[Reid, by Crane]
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23677
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We all know that mere priority or constant conjunction do not have to imply causation
[Reid]
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5545
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Appearances give rules of what usually happens, but cause involves necessity
[Kant]
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8377
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Causation is just invariability of succession between every natural fact and a preceding fact
[Mill]
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8380
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Striking a match causes its igniting, even if it sometimes doesn't work
[Russell]
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8371
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Recurrence is only relevant to the meaning of law, not to the meaning of cause
[Ducasse]
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8598
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If things turn red for an hour and then explode, we wouldn't say the redness was the cause
[Shoemaker]
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8421
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Regularity analyses could make c an effect of e, or an epiphenomenon, or inefficacious, or pre-empted
[Lewis]
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8391
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In counterfactual worlds there are laws with no instances, so laws aren't supervenient on actuality
[Tooley]
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8384
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The regularity theory explains a causal event by other items than the two that are involved
[Crane]
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8338
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A phenomenalist about objects has to be a regularity theorist about causation
[Strawson,G]
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14537
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Coincidence is conjunction without causation; smoking causing cancer is the reverse
[Mumford/Anjum]
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12400
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Cries the maid: 'You must marry me Hume!'...
[Sommers,W]
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16527
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Causation - we all thought we knew it/ Till Hume came along and saw through it/….
[Sommers,W]
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