Reiss, Julian (2005) La contingencia de las teorías de causación y explicación : comentarios sobre Paul Humphreys. Enrahonar: Quaderns de Filosofia , 37 . pp. 35-44. ISSN 0211-402X
Abstract
In his article, «Theories of causation and explanation: necessarily true or domain-specific?», Paul Humphreys researches Wesley Salmon’s modal status of theories of causation and explanation. He attempts to show that though if indeed true, his later theories are barely contingently true, a stronger interpretation is possible and (at least he suggests) desirable. In this article, I accomplish four things. First, I ponder possible reasons for seeking a theory of causation and explanation that is stronger than merely contingent. Second, I show well-known counterexamples that demonstrate that Salmon’s theory is not universally true. Third, I show that although it is coherent to sustain a necessary domainspecific theory, arguing in favour of this theory would breach Salmon’s global empirical standpoint. Fourth, I briefly sketch an alternative interpretation of Salmon’s theory which would not hurt empirical feelings.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Official URL: | http://www.raco.cat/index.php/enrahonar |
| Additional Information: | © 2005 Indiana University |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | causality, W. Salmon, modal status of causality, explanation, social sciences, probability, conserved quantities. |
| Library of Congress subject classification: | H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory |
| Sets: | Research centres and groups > Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science (CPNSS) |
| Rights: | http://www.lse.ac.uk/library/rights/LSERO.htm |
| URL: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/36552/ |
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