Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Parmenides', 'Causation and the Manifestation of Powers' and 'Reality without Reference'

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15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 9. Perceiving Causation
Causation seems to be an innate concept (or acquired very early) [Bird]
     Full Idea: There is evidence that the concept of causation is innate, or that we are primed to acquire it very early in life, within months at most.
     From: Alexander Bird (Causation and the Manifestation of Powers [2010], p.167)
     A reaction: Bird doesn't give any references. This is important for our understanding of induction. Creatures seem to learn from a single instance, rather than waiting for habit to be ingrained by many instances. They must infer a cause.