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Single Idea 4780

[from 'Causation and Explanation' by Stathis Psillos, in 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 9. Counterfactual Claims ]

Full Idea

In "had the acrobat jumped, there would have been a safety net" the antecedent of the counterfactual (the jumping) is temporally later than the consequent (the installation of the net).

Gist of Idea

In some counterfactuals, the counterfactual event happens later than its consequent

Source

Stathis Psillos (Causation and Explanation [2002], §3.3)

Book Reference

Psillos,Stathis: 'Causation and Explanation' [Acumen 2002], p.98


A Reaction

This blocks anyone (e.g. David Lewis) who tries to define counterfactual claims entirely in terms of a condition followed by a consequence. Nice example.