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A Critical Introduction to Causal Powers

Rejecting Passivism, Then and Now

A Critical Introduction to Causal Powers cover

A Critical Introduction to Causal Powers

Rejecting Passivism, Then and Now

Description

A Critical Introduction to Causation and Causal Powers responds to a groundswell of interest in the topic of causal powers in contemporary metaphysics, presenting a fresh systematic overview of the realist literature,debates and arguments.

Introducing the topic via the lens of a contrast between passivism and anti-passivism, the contrast is established in the opening historical overview, plotting the course from Aristotle to early modern rationalism, through to Hume, Reid, Kant and Mill. As well as covering contemporary and 20th century neo-Humean accounts, this introduction includes a review of foundational work on causal powers and dispositional properties in the 1970s, taking care to include both a descriptive and an analytic component. Exploring contemporary anti-passivist thinking about causation, it covers leading theories of causation and provides powers-based approaches to matters such as laws, essences, necessitation, determinism, pandispositionalism, transitivity and induction.

Offering a balanced approach to this key metaphysical topic, A Critical Introduction to Causation and Causal Powers not only introduces debates amongst anti-passivists, but explains throughout how the same issues are handled by passivists. This is an accessible, up-to-date overview designed for students and researchers working in metaphysics today.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
1. A Short Note
2. Paradigmatic Positions
3. Ambiguous Passivism
4. The Recovery of Causal Powers in the 20th Century
5. Contemporary Anti-Passivist Frameworks
6. A Closer Look at Properties
7. Back to Causation
8. A Final Round of Disambiguation
Appendix
Index
References 197
Index 202

Product details

Bloomsbury Academic Test
Published 21 Jan 2027
Format Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
Edition 1st
Pages 232
ISBN 9781472530295
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Series Bloomsbury Critical Introductions to Contemporary Metaphysics
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Ruth Groff

Ruth Groff writes about the ontology of causal pow…

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