Causation and counterfactuals

摘要: One philosophical approach to causation sees counterfactual dependence as the key explanation of causal facts: for example, events c (the cause) and e effect) both occur, but had not occurred, would have occurred either. The analysis became a focus debate after 1973 publication late David Lewis's groundbreaking paper, "Causation," which argues against previously accepted "regularity" in favor what he called "promising alternative" analysis. Thirty years this book brings together some most important recent work connecting--or, cases, disputing connection between--counterfactuals causation, including complete version Whitehead lectures, "Causation Influence," major reworking his original paper. Also included is more essay by Lewis, "Void Object," on omission. Several essays first appeared special issue Journal Philosophy, most, unabridged are published time or updated forms.Other topics considered include "trumping" one event over another determining causation; de facto dependence; challenges transitivity possibility that entities other than fundamental relata; distinction between production accounts explanation; context-dependence probabilistic analyses singularist theory causation.