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Analysis and Defense of Sole Singular Causal Claims

Ennis, Robert H (2012) Analysis and Defense of Sole Singular Causal Claims. In: UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

To claim that x was the cause of y (or x caused y) is 1) to assume that x was a contributing member of the group of factors that jointly brought about y, and 2) to deem x responsible for the occurrence of y. This deeming is based in part on perspectives and values, though empirical evidence is also very important.

A best-explanation argument, including application to cases, is offered in defense of this analysis, which holds that claiming that something is the cause is, in part, a speech act (deeming x to be responsible). Unlike the proposed analysis, suggested alternative explanations do not account for what is reasonably said in all the cases of the selection of the cause.

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Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Ennis, Robert Hrhennis@illinois.edu
Keywords: the cause, responsibility ascription, speech act, everyday sense, values, perspectives, deeming,target of interference, necessary condition, sufficient condition, causal nexus,independent variable
Subjects: General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
Depositing User: Dr. Robert H Ennis
Date Deposited: 18 Dec 2012 18:21
Last Modified: 21 Dec 2012 15:24
Item ID: 9474
Subjects: General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
Date: 13 November 2012
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/9474

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