Causal Asymmetries

ISBN-13: 9780521622899 / Angielski / Twarda / 1998 / 320 str.

Madison) Daniel M. Hausman (University of Wisconsin

Opis

Causation is asymmetrical in many different ways. Causes precede effects; explanations cite causes not effects. Agents use causes to manipulate their effects; they don't use effects to manipulate their causes. Effects of a common cause are correlated; causes of a common effect are not. This book by one of the preeminent philosophers of science writing today offers the most comprehensive account available of causal asymmetries. It is a major book for philosophers of science that will also prove insightful to economists and statisticians.

Recenzje

'Any serious student of causality - economist or philosopher - will find careful study of Hausman's a valuable tool for clarifying his or her own thinking about causality.' Journal of Economic Methodology

Spis treści

List of figures; Acknowledgements; Introduction: causation and its asymmetries; 1. Metaphysical pictures and wishes; 1*. Transfer theories; 2. Is causation a relation among events?; 3. Causation, regularities and time: Hume's theory; 4. Causation and independence; 4*. Causation, independence and causal connection; 5. Agency theory; 5*. Causal generalizations and agency; 6. The counterfactual theory; 6*. Independence and counterfactual dependence; 7. Counterfactuals, agency and independence; 7*. Agency, counterfactuals and independence; 8. Causation, explanation and laws; 8*. Causation, explanation and independent alterability; 9. Probabilistic causation; 10. Causation and conditional probabilities; 10*. Causal graphs and conditional probabilistic dependencies; 11. Intervention, robustness and probabilistic dependence; 11*. Interventions and conditional probabilities; 12. Operationalizing and revising the independence theory; 12*. Probability distributions and causation; 13. Complications and conclusions; Appendix A: alphabetical list of propositions; Appendix B: list of theorems; References; Index.