Distributed for Center for the Study of Language and Information
Stochastic Causality
The papers collected here focus on probabilistic causality, addressing topics such as the search for causal mechanisms, epistemic and metaphysical views of causality, Bayesian nets and causal dependence, and causation in the special sciences. Some papers stress the statistical analysis of probabilistic data; others address causal issues in physics, with an emphasis on physical processes that are also probabilistic—i.e., stochastic processes.
Table of Contents
Contributors
Preface and Acknowledgments
1. Causality, Mechanisms and Manipulation
Maria Carla Galavotti
2. Metaphysics over Methodology or, Why Infidelity Provides No Grounds to Divorce Causes from Probabilities
David Papineau
3. Probabilistic Causality, Direct Causes and Counterfactual Dependence
James Woodward
4. Modularity: It Can and Generally Does Fail
Nancy Cartwright
5. Three Dogmas of Humean Causation
Gürol Irzik
6. Causation in the Special Sciences: The Case for Pragmatism
Huw Price
7. Analogy, Causal Patterns and Economic Choice
Roberto Scazzieri
8. Epistemic Causality and Hard Uncertainty: A Keynesian Approach
Alessandro Vercelli
9. Bayesian Nets Are All There Is to Causal Dependence
Wolfgang Spohn
10. The Causal Interpretation of Regression Coefficients
Paul W. Holland
11. Hierarchical Models and Partial Exchangeability
Attilio Wedlin
12. Weak and Strong Reversibility of Causal Processes
Patrick Suppes
13. A Characterization of Creation and Destruction Propensities
Domenico Costantini and Ubaldo Garibaldi
14. Physical Quantum States and the Meaning of Probability
Michel Paty
15. Stochastic Dynamical Reduction and Causality
GianCarlo Ghirardi
Preface and Acknowledgments
1. Causality, Mechanisms and Manipulation
Maria Carla Galavotti
2. Metaphysics over Methodology or, Why Infidelity Provides No Grounds to Divorce Causes from Probabilities
David Papineau
3. Probabilistic Causality, Direct Causes and Counterfactual Dependence
James Woodward
4. Modularity: It Can and Generally Does Fail
Nancy Cartwright
5. Three Dogmas of Humean Causation
Gürol Irzik
6. Causation in the Special Sciences: The Case for Pragmatism
Huw Price
7. Analogy, Causal Patterns and Economic Choice
Roberto Scazzieri
8. Epistemic Causality and Hard Uncertainty: A Keynesian Approach
Alessandro Vercelli
9. Bayesian Nets Are All There Is to Causal Dependence
Wolfgang Spohn
10. The Causal Interpretation of Regression Coefficients
Paul W. Holland
11. Hierarchical Models and Partial Exchangeability
Attilio Wedlin
12. Weak and Strong Reversibility of Causal Processes
Patrick Suppes
13. A Characterization of Creation and Destruction Propensities
Domenico Costantini and Ubaldo Garibaldi
14. Physical Quantum States and the Meaning of Probability
Michel Paty
15. Stochastic Dynamical Reduction and Causality
GianCarlo Ghirardi