Full Idea
The counterfactual approach makes no distinction between cause and condition, ...but when the smoke sets off the fire alarm, the smoke is the cause, whereas the presence of the alarm is just the condition.
Gist of Idea
The counterfactual approach makes no distinction between cause and pre-condition
Source
Alexander Bird (Causation and the Manifestation of Powers [2010], p.162)
Book Reference
'The Metaphysics of Powers', ed/tr. Marmodoro,Anna [OUP 2013], p.162
A Reaction
Bird defends the idea that causes are what stimulate dispositions to act.