Causation: A Very Short Introduction

Description

Causation is the most fundamental connection in the universe. Without it, there would be no science or technology. There would be no moral responsibility either, as none of our thoughts would be connected with our actions and none of our actions with any consequences. Nor would we have a system of law because blame resides only in someone having caused injury or damage. Any intervention we make in the world around us is premised on there being causal connections that are, to a degree, predictable. It is causation that is at the basis of prediction and also explanation. This Very Short Introduction introduces the key theories of causation and also the surrounding debates and controversies. Do causes produce their effects by guaranteeing them? Do causes have to precede their effects? Can causation be reduced to the forces of physics? And are we right to think of causation as one single thing at all? ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.  Read more... Abstract: Without cause and effect, there would be no science or technology, no moral responsibility, and no system of law. Causation is therefore the most fundamental connection in the universe and a core topic of philosophical thought. This Very Short Introduction introduces all of the main theories of causation and its key debates.  Read more... Content: Introduction: why causation? 1. The problem, or: what's the matter with causation? 2. Regularity, or: causation without connection? 3. Time and space, or: do causes occur before their effects? 4. Necessity, or: do causes guarantee their effects? 5. Counterfactual dependence, or: do causes make a difference? 6. Physicalism, or: is it all transference? 7. Pluralism, or: is causation many different things? 8. Primitivism, or: is causation the most basic thing? 9. Dispositionalism, or: what tends to be? 10. Finding causes, or: where are they? A very short afterword Further reading Index