What Does it Take to Make a Difference? A Reply to Andreas and Günther
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 04-2025 |
| Journal | The Journal of Philosophy |
| Volume | Issue number | 122 | 4 |
| Pages (from-to) | 177-189 |
| Organisations |
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| Abstract |
Andreas and Günther have recently proposed a difference-making
definition of actual causation. In this paper I show that there exist
conclusive counterexamples to their definition, by which I mean examples
that are unacceptable to everyone, including Andreas and Günther.
Concretely, I show that their definition allows c to cause e even when c
is not a causal ancestor of e. I then proceed to identify their
non-standard definition of causal models as the source of the problem,
and argue that there is no viable strategy open to them to fixing it. I
conclude that their definition of causation is damaged beyond repair.
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| Document type | Comment/Letter to the editor |
| Note | Comment to: H. Andreas, M. Günther (2021) Difference-Making Causation, in: Journal of Philosophy, 118, 12: 680-701. |
| Language | English |
| Published at | https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil202512249 |
| Published at | https://philpapers.org/rec/BECWDI-3 |
| Permalink to this page | |
