Indeterminism, counterfactuals, and causation

Philosophy of Science 54 (1):45-62 (1987)
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Abstract

In this paper I wish to argue that counterfactual analyses of causation are inadequate. I believe the counterfactuals that are involved in counterfactual analyses of causation are often false, and thus the theories do not provide an adequate account of causation. This is demonstrated by the presentation of a counterexample to the counterfactual analyses of causation. I then present a unified theory of causation that is based upon probability and counterfactuals. This theory accounts for both deterministic and indeterministic causation, and is not subject to many of the traditional problems facing theories of causation

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Richard Otte
University of California, Santa Cruz

Citations of this work

Probabilistic causality reexamined.Greg Ray - 1992 - Erkenntnis 36 (2):219 - 244.
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The Context of Explanation.Martin Bunzl - 1993 - Springer Verlag.
Explanation, subjunctives and statistical theories.Del Ratzsch - 1988 - International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 3 (1):80-96.

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References found in this work

Causation.David Lewis - 1973 - Journal of Philosophy 70 (17):556-567.
Counterfactuals.David Lewis - 1973 - Philosophy of Science 42 (3):341-344.
A Probabilistic Theory of Causality.P. Suppes - 1973 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 24 (4):409-410.
Probabilistic Causality.Wesley C. Salmon - 1980 - Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 61 (1-2):50-74.

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