Single Idea 22639

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / b. Causal relata]

Full Idea

I accept the reciprocity of interactions, and abandon the Agent vs.Patient distinction, so we can no longer talk of the contribution of each as ontologically different types of cause. In interactions, neither action nor reaction can be separated.

Clarification

Agent and Patient are active and passive particants

Gist of Idea

Causal events are always reciprocal, and there is no distinction of action and reaction

Source

R.D. Ingthorsson (A Powerful Particulars View of Causation [2021], 10.3)

Book Reference

'Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Time', ed/tr. Callender,Craig [OUP 2013], p.172


A Reaction

His point is that we are misled by real world happenings, where one component is usually more powerful than the other (such as ball dropped onto a pillow). Modern science endorses his view. Mumford and Anjum seem to agree, and so do I.