Causation and Law

While spatial and temporal contiguity are often associated with causation, they are not necessary conditions. For example, a cause can precede its effect by a long period of time, and the cause and effect can be separated by a large distance.

Final causes are not considered to be true causes in the modern scientific sense. They are more akin to purposes or goals, which do not have the same causal power as efficient, formal, and material causes.

A necessary cause is a cause that must occur in order for its effect to occur. A sufficient cause is a cause that is capable of producing its effect, but it may not always do so.

According to Hume, causation is simply the regular and predictable succession of one event after another. He argued that we can never observe a necessary connection between cause and effect, and that all we can observe is that certain events tend to follow one another in a regular manner.

Deterministic laws are laws that state that a certain event will always occur under certain conditions. Statistical laws are laws that state that a certain event will probably occur under certain conditions.

Theological determinism is the belief that God has predetermined all events that will occur. This is not a type of determinism in the same way that causal, logical, and physical determinism are, because it does not rely on the idea of cause and effect.

Compatibilism is the belief that it is possible for both free will and determinism to be true. Incompatibilism is the belief that it is not possible for both free will and determinism to be true.

Libertarianism is not a type of compatibilism because it denies that determinism is true. Compatibilism is the belief that free will and determinism are compatible, while libertarianism is the belief that free will is incompatible with determinism.

A causal explanation explains why an event occurred by citing its cause. A non-causal explanation explains why an event occurred by citing something other than its cause, such as a purpose, a motive, or a reason.

Mechanical explanations are causal explanations. Teleological explanations, intentional explanations, and functional explanations are all non-causal explanations.

A scientific law is a statement that describes a regular and predictable pattern in nature. A causal law is a statement that explains why a certain event occurs.

Laws of biology are not scientific laws in the same way that laws of nature, laws of physics, and laws of chemistry are. Laws of biology are more like generalizations or hypotheses that are based on observation and experiment. They are not as well-established or as universal as laws of nature, laws of physics, and laws of chemistry.

A law of nature is a statement that describes a regular and predictable pattern in nature. A moral law is a statement that prescribes what is right and wrong.

Social laws are not moral laws in the same way that natural laws, divine laws, and human laws are. Social laws are more like conventions or norms that are based on social customs and practices. They are not as well-established or as universal as natural laws, divine laws, and human laws.