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Single Idea 22645

[from 'The Sentiment of Rationality' by William James, in 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / d. Selecting the cause ]

Full Idea

The knowledge of things by their causes, which is often given as a definition of rational knowledge, is useless unless the causes converge to a minimum number, while still producing the maximum number of effects.

Gist of Idea

Understanding by means of causes is useless if they are not reduced to a minimum number

Source

William James (The Sentiment of Rationality [1882], p.21)

Book Reference

James,William: 'Selected Writings of William James', ed/tr. Bird,Graham [Everyman 1995], p.21


A Reaction

This is certainly the psychological motivation for trying to identify 'the' cause of something, but James always tries to sell such things as subjective. 'Useless' to one person is a subjective criterion; useless to anyone is much more objective.

Related Idea

Idea 13929 Natural explanations give the causal interconnections [Haslanger]