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Single Idea 10394

[from 'The Metaphysics of Causation' by Jonathan Schaffer, in 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / d. Selecting the cause ]

Full Idea

Another argument against the view that there is no basis for selecting 'the' cause is that we have no concept of causation without such a selection.

Gist of Idea

Selecting 'the' cause must have a basis; there is no causation without such a selection

Source

Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.3)

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.28


A Reaction

Good. Otherwise we could only state the conditions preceding an event, and then every event that occurred at any given moment in a region would have the same cause. How can 'the' cause be necessary, and yet capricious?