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Single Idea 15463

[from 'Finkish dispositions' by David Lewis, in 8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 3. Powers as Derived ]

Full Idea

Prior, Pargetter and Jackson have argued convincingly for the thesis that all dispositions must have causal bases.

Gist of Idea

All dispositions must have causal bases

Source

David Lewis (Finkish dispositions [1997], II)

Book Reference

Lewis,David: 'Papers in Metaphysics and Epistemology' [CUP 1999], p.140


A Reaction

[Their paper is 1982] This key thesis is tackled by modern defenders of powers. The question is not who has the best arguments, but who offers the most coherent picture. What is a 'causal basis'? What sort of thing could be primitive or fundamental?