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Challenges to characterizing the notion of causation across disciplinary boundaries

comment on faye

Jan Baedke

pp. 191-201

Abstract

This paper comments on Jan Faye's metadisciplinary characterization of the notion of causation. I will argue that his understanding of a causal factor as a difference-maker can be specified by relating it to similarity considerations and analogical reasoning about causal dependencies. At the same time, however, his notion of a difference-maker does not capture what is understood as a cause in many biological and biophysical investigations of robustness of living systems (e.g. in systems biology). Finally, I will show that Faye ignores crucial differences between causal processes and causal mechanisms.

Publication details

Published in:

Dieks Dennis, Hartmann Stephan, Uebel Thomas, Weber Marcel, Galavotti Maria Carla (2014) New directions in the philosophy of science. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 191-201

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-04382-1_13

Full citation:

Baedke Jan (2014) „Challenges to characterizing the notion of causation across disciplinary boundaries: comment on faye“, In: D. Dieks, S. Hartmann, T. Uebel, M. Weber & M. Galavotti (eds.), New directions in the philosophy of science, Dordrecht, Springer, 191–201.