more from 'Causality: Reductionism versus Realism' by Michael Tooley

Single Idea 8416

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 4. Naturalised causation]

Full Idea

Reductionist accounts of causation cannot distinguish laws from accidental uniformities, cannot allow for basic uninstantiated laws, can't explain probabilistic laws, and cannot even demonstrate the existence of laws.

Gist of Idea

Reductionists can't explain accidents, uninstantiated laws, probabilities, or the existence of any laws

Source

Michael Tooley (Causality: Reductionism versus Realism [1990], 2)

Book Reference

'Causation', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Tooley,M. [OUP 1993], p.179


A Reaction

I am tempted to say that this is so much the worse for the idea of laws. Extensive regularities only occur for a reason. Probabilities aren't laws. Hypothetical facts will cover uninstantiated laws. Laws are just patterns.