LEWISIAN-STYLE COUNTERFACTUAL ANALYSIS OF CAUSATION: A NEW SOLUTION TO THE OVERDETERMINATION PROBLEM

• Authors: Goswick Dana
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Causal overdetermination - i.e. instances in which x, y, and z all occur and intuitively the occurrence of x alone is sufficient for the occurrence of z and the occurrence of y alone is sufficient for the occurrence of z - has been long considered as a problem for counterfactual analyses of causation. Intuitively, we want to say both x and y caused z, but standard Lewisian counterfactual analysis yields the result that neither x nor y caused z. David Lewis, himself, suggested that overdetermination ought to be left as 'spoils to the victor'. The author shows how, if we modify Lewis' account of events slightly, we can bring counterfactual analysis in line with our intuitions about overdetermination.

Keywords

EN

CAUSATION; COUNTERFACTUAL ANALYSIS; DAVID LEWIS; EVENTS; OVERDETERMINATION

Discipline

• PHILOSOPHY: PHILOSOPHY

• Publisher: Institute of Philosophy of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and Institute of Philosophy of Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic
• Journal: Organon F. medzinárodný časopis pre analytickú filozofiu
• Year: 2010
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 461-476
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Goswick Dana

• Dana Goswick, Philosophy Department, The University of Melbourne, Old Quad Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

11SKAAAA094412