Physical Causation ( Cambridge Studies in Probability, Induction and Decision Theory )

Publication series ：Cambridge Studies in Probability, Induction and Decision Theory

Author： Phil Dowe  

Publisher： Cambridge University Press‎

Publication year： 2000

E-ISBN: 9780511825934

P-ISBN(Paperback): 9780521780490

Subject： O41 theoretical physics

Keyword： 自然科学理论与方法论

Language： ENG

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Physical Causation

Description

This book, published in 2000, is a clear account of causation based firmly in contemporary science. Dowe discusses in a systematic way, a positive account of causation: the conserved quantities account of causal processes which he has been developing over the last ten years. The book describes causal processes and interactions in terms of conserved quantities: a causal process is the worldline of an object which possesses a conserved quantity, and a causal interaction involves the exchange of conserved quantities. Further, things that are properly called cause and effect are appropriately connected by a set of causal processes and interactions. The distinction between cause and effect is explained in terms of a version of the fork theory: the direction of a certain kind of ordered pattern of events in the world. This particular version has the virtue that it allows for the possibility of backwards causation, and therefore time travel.

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Contents

Acknowledgements

1Horses for CoursesCausation and the Task of Philosophy

I.1 THE TWO TASKS

I.2 CONFUSING THE TASKS

I.3 THE LEGITIMACY OF EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

I.4 HORSES FOR COURSES

2 Hume's LegacyRegularity, Counterfactual and Probabilistic Theories of Causation

II.1 HUME'S REGULARITY ACCOUNT

II.2 INDETERMINISTIC CAUSATION

II.3 THE COUNTERFACTUAL ACCOUNT

II.4 FREQUENT CONJUNCTION

II.5 PROBABILISTIC THEORIES

II.6 CHANCE-LOWERING CAUSALITY

II.7 SUMMARY

3 Transference Theories of Causation

III.l REVIEW OF TRANSFERENCE THEORIES

III.2 TRANSFERENCE, INDETERMINISM ANDCHANCE LOWERING

III.3 TRANSFERENCE AS MEANING ANALYSIS

III.4 OBJECTIONS TO THE TRANSFERENCE THEORY

III.5 SUMMARY

4 Process Theories of Causation

IV.1 RUSSELL'S CAUSAL LINES

IV.2 SALMON'S PROCESS THEORY OF CAUSALITY

IV.3 PROBLEMS WITH SALMONS THEORY

IV.4 SUMMARY

5 The Conserved Quantity Theory

V.I A STATEMENT OF THE CQ THEORY

V.2 CONSERVED QUANTITIES

V.3 POSSESSION, TRANSMISSION ANDGERRYMANDERED AGGREGATES

V.4 IDENTITY THROUGH TIME

V.5 ADVANTAGES OF THE CQ THEORY OVER THETRANSFERENCE AND THE MARK TRANSMISSION THEORIES

V.6 SALMON'S REVISED THEORIES

V.7 SUMMARY

6 Prevention and Omission

VI.1 THE INTUITION OF DIFFERENCE

VI.2 A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM

VI.3 CAUSATION AND NEGATIVE EVENTS

VI.4 PREVENTION

VI.5 OMISSION

VI.6 MORE COMPLEX CASES

VI.7 SOME OBJECTIONS ANSWERED

VI.8 A CROSS-PLATFORM SOLUTION

7 Connecting Causes and Effects

VII.1 THE NAIVE PROCESS THEORY AND THE PROBLEM OFMISCONNECTIONS

VII.2 INTEGRATING SOLUTIONS

VII.3 CAUSES AND CHANCES

VII.4 CONNECTING CAUSES AND EFFECTS

VII.5 SUMMARY

8 The Direction of Causation and Backwards-in-Time Causation

VIII.1 ASYMMETRY AND DIRECTION

VIII.2 BELL PHENOMENA AND BACKWARDS CAUSATION

VIII.3 THE PREMISE

VIII.4 THE TEMPORAL THEORY

VIII.5 THE SUBJECTIVE THEORY

VIII.6 THE PHYSICAL THEORY! FORK ASYMMETRY

VIII.7 FORK THEORY VERSION ONE

VIII.8 FORK THEORY VERSION TWO

VIII.9 THE KAON THEORY

VIII.10 FORK THEORY VERSION THREE

VIII.11 THE EMPIRICAL PREDICTION

VIII.12 SOME IMPLICATIONS OF REJECTING THE FORK THEORY

VIII.13 SUMMARY

References

Index

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