Causality
The philosophy of causality explores the nature of cause and effect, investigating how events relate to one another and what it means for one event to bring about another. It delves into the metaphysical underpinnings of causation, examining whether it’s a fundamental aspect of reality, a human concept, or something else entirely.
- Defining Causality: Causality is generally understood as the influence by which one event (the cause) contributes to the occurrence of another (the effect). Aristotle’s Four Causes: Introduced the idea that causes can be material, formal, efficient, or final. Humean Causation: Emphasized the regularity of events and the psychological expectation of one following another, rather than a necessary connection. Counterfactual Theories: Focus on what would have happened if something had been different, suggesting a cause is something that, if it hadn’t occurred, the effect wouldn’t have either.
- Metaphysical Questions:
- Is causality a fundamental feature of the universe? Some theories posit a necessary connection between cause and effect, while others see it as a regularity or a human construct.
- What is the nature of this connection? Is it a physical link, a probabilistic relationship, or something else entirely?
- Are there different kinds of causality? Different philosophical views suggest various categories or types of causal relationships.
Theories of Causation:
- Regularity Theories: Causation is based on the regular, predictable association of events.
- Counterfactual Theories: Causation is understood through what would have happened if things had been different.
- Agency Theories: Focus on the role of agents and their actions in bringing about effects.
- Dispositional Theories: Causation is seen as inherent properties or dispositions of objects.
Key Figures
- Aristotle: Introduced the four causes and explored different aspects of causation.
- David Hume: Challenged the notion of necessary connection between cause and effect, emphasizing regularity and psychological expectation.
- Immanuel Kant: Argued that the concept of cause is necessary for understanding the world and our experience.
- John Stuart Mill: Developed criteria for establishing causal relationships based on temporal precedence, covariance, and the elimination of alternative explanations, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Different branches or types of causality can be understood through various philosophical and scientific perspectives.
- Philosophical Approaches:
- Aristotle’s Four Causes: Material, formal, efficient, and final causes.
- Deterministic Causality: Cause necessitates effect.
- Probabilistic Causality: Cause increases effect probability.
- Teleological Causality: Effect is a purpose.
- Regularity View: Cause and effect are spatiotemporally conjoined.
- Counterfactual View: Without X, Y would not exist.
- Concepts of Actual Causation:
- Total Actual Causation (TAC): Simple counterfactual dependence.
- Path-Changing Actual Cause (PAC): Counterfactual dependence requires fixing other factors.
- Contributing Actual Cause (CAC): Counterfactual dependence requires setting other factors to non-actual values.
- Other Perspectives:
- Necessary Cause: Required for effect.
- Sufficient Cause: Guarantees effect.
- Contributory Cause: Factor that helps lead to the effect.
- Causal Chains: Linear relationships (A → B → C).
- Causal Homeostasis: Self-supporting cycles.
- Common-Cause Relationships: One cause, multiple effects.
- Common-Effect Relationships: Multiple causes, one effect.
- Direct Causation: Immediate link between cause and effect.
- Indirect Causation: Effect through intermediate causes.
- Proximate Causation: Immediate cause.
- Remote Causation: Underlying cause.
- Causality in Physics:
- Microscopic Causality: Related to locality and non-simultaneous effects.
- Macroscopic Causality: Effects follow causes and causal influences are limited by the speed of light.
- Causal Sets: A discrete approach to spacetime’s causal structure.