Full Idea
The logical empiricists (esp. Hempel) analysed the concept of causation in terms of causal explanation, and analysed the latter as a species of deductive argument, with one premises stating a universal law (the so-called Deductive-Nomological model).
Clarification
'Nomological' means to do with laws
Gist of Idea
Empiricists tried to reduce causation to explanation, which they reduced to logic-plus-a-law
Source
Stathis Psillos (Causation and Explanation [2002], Intro)
Book Reference
Psillos,Stathis: 'Causation and Explanation' [Acumen 2002], p.10
A Reaction
This feels wrong, as deduction seems insufficiently naturalistic, and the assumption of a law as premise seems to beg heaps of questions.