more from John Stuart Mill

Single Idea 8345

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / c. Conditions of causation]

Full Idea

A cause is the sum total of the conditions positive and negative taken together ...which being realized, the consequent invariably follows.

Gist of Idea

A cause is the total of all the conditions which inevitably produce the result

Source

John Stuart Mill (System of Logic [1843]), quoted by Donald Davidson - Causal Relations §1

Book Reference

Davidson,Donald: 'Essays on Actions and Events' [OUP 1982], p.150


A Reaction

This has obvious problems. The absence of Napoleon was a cause of the English Civil War. The Big Bang was a cause of, well, every event. As Davidson notes, some narrowing down is needed.