Single Idea 4791

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 9. Counterfactual Claims]

Full Idea

The counterfactual theory is a non-Humean relation between singular events; the thought is that causation makes a difference - to say that c causes e is to say that if c hadn't occurred, e wouldn't have occurred either.

Gist of Idea

Counterfactual theories say causes make a difference - if c hadn't occurred, then e wouldn't occur

Source

Stathis Psillos (Causation and Explanation [2002], §4.5.4)

Book Reference

Psillos,Stathis: 'Causation and Explanation' [Acumen 2002], p.131


A Reaction

Helpful. I'm beginning to think that this theory is wrong. It gives an account of how we see causation, and a test for it, but it says nothing about what causation actually is.