The extensionality of causation and causal-explanatory contexts

Philosophy of Science 43 (2):266-277 (1976)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

I argue that 'c' occurs extensionally in 'c caused e' and 'D' occurs extensionally in 'c caused e because c is D'. I claim that this has been insufficiently appreciated because the two contexts are often run together and because it has not been clear that the description D of c is among the referents of an explanatory argument. I argue as well that Hume's analysis of causation is consistent with taking causation to be a relation between single events, and that even if events are eliminated as virtual entities, extensionality holds for all terms in the resulting context

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 94,070

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Causation and contrast classes.Robert Northcott - 2008 - Philosophical Studies 139 (1):111 - 123.
Contextualising Causation Part I.Julian Reiss - 2013 - Philosophy Compass 8 (11):1066-1075.
Contrastive causation.Jonathan Schaffer - 2005 - Philosophical Review 114 (3):327-358.
Lavoisier's slow burn.Michael E. Levin & Margarita R. Levin - 1978 - Philosophy of Science 45 (4):626-629.
The Facts of Causation.D. H. Mellor - 1995 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 48 (3):411-433.
The Facts of Causation. D. H. Mellor.Phil Dowe - 1998 - Philosophy of Science 65 (1):162-170.
Sober's Use of Unanimity in the Units of Selection Problem.Fred Gifford - 1986 - PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1986:473 - 482.

Analytics

Added to PP
2009-01-28

Downloads
55 (#283,867)

6 months
25 (#143,306)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

References found in this work

Causes and Conditions.J. L. Mackie - 1965 - American Philosophical Quarterly 2 (4):245 - 264.
Causal relations.Donald Davidson - 1967 - Journal of Philosophy 64 (21):691-703.
Contrastive statements.Fred I. Dretske - 1972 - Philosophical Review 81 (4):411-437.
Causal relations.Zeno Vendler - 1967 - Journal of Philosophy 64 (21):704-713.
Scientific Explanation.Nicholas Rescher - 1970 - Philosophy 47 (182):380-382.

View all 10 references / Add more references