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Single Idea 8421
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / a. Constant conjunction
]
Full Idea
In the regularity analysis of causes, instead of c causing e, c might turn out to be an effect of e, or an epiphenomenon, or an inefficacious effect of a genuine cause, or a pre-empted cause (by some other cause) of e.
Gist of Idea
Regularity analyses could make c an effect of e, or an epiphenomenon, or inefficacious, or pre-empted
Source
David Lewis (Causation [1973], p.194)
Book Ref
'Causation', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Tooley,M. [OUP 1993], p.194
A Reaction
These are Lewis's reasons for rejecting the general regularity account, in favour of his own particular counterfactual account. It is unlikely that c would be regularly pre-empted or epiphenomenal. If we build time's direction in, it won't be an effect.
The
15 ideas
from 'Causation'
9476
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If dispositions are more fundamental than causes, then they won't conceptually reduce to them
[Bird on Lewis]
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8405
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A theory of causation should explain why cause precedes effect, not take it for granted
[Lewis, by Field,H]
|
10392
|
It is just individious discrimination to pick out one cause and label it as 'the' cause
[Lewis]
|
17525
|
The counterfactual view says causes are necessary (rather than sufficient) for their effects
[Lewis, by Bird]
|
17524
|
Lewis has basic causation, counterfactuals, and a general ancestral (thus handling pre-emption)
[Lewis, by Bird]
|
8397
|
Counterfactual causation implies all laws are causal, which they aren't
[Tooley on Lewis]
|
4795
|
Lewis's account of counterfactuals is fine if we know what a law of nature is, but it won't explain the latter
[Cohen,LJ on Lewis]
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8419
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The modern regularity view says a cause is a member of a minimal set of sufficient conditions
[Lewis]
|
8420
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A proposition is a set of possible worlds where it is true
[Lewis]
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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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8423
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My counterfactual analysis applies to particular cases, not generalisations
[Lewis]
|
8424
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Determinism says there can't be two identical worlds up to a time, with identical laws, which then differ
[Lewis]
|
8425
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For true counterfactuals, both antecedent and consequent true is closest to actuality
[Lewis]
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8426
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One event causes another iff there is a causal chain from first to second
[Lewis]
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8427
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I reject making the direction of causation axiomatic, since that takes too much for granted
[Lewis]
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