Causal Relations and Causal Relata in Science

Abstract

AbstractThere is no such class of things as causes. The terms ‘cause’ and ‘effect’ are relational terms, in other words, our concern is the causal relation ‘x causes y’. This relation is applied to pairs of singular events and states of affairs, to pairs of types of events/and states of affairs and to pairs of variables. In science we are mostly interested in generalities, so the focus is usually how to infer causal relations between types of events/states of affairs and between variables.The main points in this chapter are: Both singular and general events/states of affairs can be related as cause and effect. Expressions for laws, equations, correlations and conditional probabilities do not by themselves state any causal relations. A causal interpretation of these requires information not contained in that law, equation, correlation or probability statement. Without background information it is impossible to infer a causal relation about a singular case, no matter whether the data are quantitative or qualitative. Most events have many causes, and such situations can be analysed in terms of INUS-conditions.