Single Idea 11943

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 6. Dispositions / a. Dispositions]

Full Idea

Dispositions can be causes. What is not actual cannot be a cause or any part of a cause. Merely possible events are not actual, and that makes them causally impotent. The claim that powers are causally potent has strong initial plausibility.

Gist of Idea

Dispositions can be causes, so they must be part of the actual world

Source

George Molnar (Powers [1998], 5)

Book Reference

Molnar,George: 'Powers: a study in metaphysics', ed/tr. Mumford,Stephen [OUP 2003], p.101


A Reaction

[He credits Mellor 1974 for this idea] He will need to show how dispositions can be causes (other than, presumably, being anticipated or imagined by conscious minds), which he says he will do in Ch. 12.