A Theory of Causation in the Social and Biological Sciences

by A. Reutlinger

Overview

This first full length treatment of interventionist theories of causation in the social sciences, the biological sciences and other higher-level sciences the presents original counter arguments to recent trends in the debate and serves as useful introduction to the subject.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781137281043
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	03/18/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	276
File size:	475 KB

About the Author

Alexander Reutlinger is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Cologne, Germany. His research is focussed on causation and laws in the social and biological sciences.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements PART I: CAUSATION IN THE SPECIAL SCIENCES AND THE INTERVENTIONIST THEORY OF CAUSATION Causation in the Special Sciences The Interventionist Explication of Causation PART II: WHAT IS WRONG WITH INTERVENTIONIST THEORIES Counterfactuals: A Problem for Interventionists? Getting Rid of Interventions Non-Universal Laws Woodward Meets Russell: Does Causation Fit into the World of Physics? PART III: AN ALTERNATIVE THEORY OF CAUSATION IN SPECIAL SCIENCES In Defense of Conceptually Non-Reductive Explications of Causation The Comparative Variability Theory of Causation Consequences Bibliography Index