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‘More of a Cause’: Recent Work on Degrees of Causation and Responsibility
Author(s) -
Kaiserman Alex
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
philosophy compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.973
H-Index - 25
ISSN - 1747-9991
DOI - 10.1111/phc3.12498
Subject(s) - causation , action (physics) , epistemology , virtue , section (typography) , natural (archaeology) , outcome (game theory) , psychology , positive economics , law and economics , philosophy , sociology , computer science , economics , mathematical economics , history , physics , archaeology , quantum mechanics , operating system
It is often natural to compare two events by describing one as ‘more of a cause’ of some effect than the other. But what do such comparisons amount to, exactly? This paper aims to provide a guided tour of the recent literature on ‘degrees of causation’. Section 2 looks at what I call ‘dependence measures’, which arise from thinking of causes as difference‐makers . Section 3 looks at what I call ‘production measures’, which arise from thinking of causes as jointly sufficient for their effects. Finally, section 4 examines the important question of whether there is any sense in which an agent is more responsible for an outcome in virtue of her action being more of a cause of it. I describe a puzzle that emerges from this question, and explore various strategies for resolving it.