Casting a Shadow on Lewis's Theory of Causation

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Sayan E.

ORGANON F, vol.26, no.2, pp.287-297, 2019 (AHCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 26 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.31577/orgf.2019.26206
  • Journal Name: ORGANON F
  • Journal Indexes: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.287-297
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

First I present a puzzle involving two opaque objects and a shadow cast on the ground. After I offer a solution to this puzzle by identifying which of the objects is causally responsible for the shadow, I argue that this case poses a counterexample to David Lewis's latest counterfactual account of causation, known as his influence theory. Along the way, I discuss preemption, overdetermination, absence causation, and trumping preemption.