Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1161951 | Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences | 2012 | 9 Pages |
I present an alternative account of causation in the biomedical and social sciences according to which the meaning of causal claims is given by their inferential relations to other claims. Specifically, I will argue that causal claims are (typically) inferentially related to certain evidential claims as well as claims about explanation, prediction, intervention and responsibility. I explain in some detail what it means for a claim to be inferentially related to another and finally derive some implication of the proposed account for the epistemology, semantics and metaphysics of causation.
► I present an alternative account of causation in the biomedical and social sciences. ► The meaning of a causal claim is given by its inferential relations to other claims. ► Related claims concern evidence, explanation, prediction, intervention, responsibility. ► Implications for epistemology, semantics and metaphysics of causation are derived.