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    Counterfactual theories can accommodate normative asymmet... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→The distinction between causes and background conditions tracks the distinction between abnormal and normal conditions, not merely counterfactual dependence.

    Counterfactual theories can accommodate normative asymmetries by restricting the relevant antecedent to the actual causal history, as Lewis's 'influence' account does.

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    Reasons For

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    • 1.Normative asymmetries (e.g., prevention vs. causation) require distinguishing actual causal paths from merely possible ones to avoid counterintuitive verdicts.
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    • 2.Lewis's influence account grounds this distinction in spatiotemporal continuity and local causal processes, which provides a principled way to select relevant antecedents.
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    • 3.Restricting to actual causal history avoids the problem that counterfactual theories otherwise treat all logically possible worlds equally, making normative distinctions arbitrary.
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    Reasons Against

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    • 1.The 'actual causal history' restriction is circular: it assumes causal structure to explain causation rather than defining causation independently of normative intuitions.
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    • 2.Even with the influence constraint, Lewis's account struggles to handle cases where actual causal chains are complex or indeterminate, undermining its determinacy for normative judgments.
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    • 3.The asymmetries Lewis targets (like omission) may reflect our practical or moral interests rather than genuine metaphysical features that a causal theory should capture.
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    Related

    Even with the influence constraint, Lewis's account struggles to handle cases wh...Lewis's influence account grounds this distinction in spatiotemporal continuity ...Normative asymmetries (e.g., prevention vs. causation) require distinguishing ac...Restricting to actual causal history avoids the problem that counterfactual theo...
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    The 'actual causal history' restriction is circular: it assumes causal structure...The asymmetries Lewis targets (like omission) may reflect our practical or moral...The distinction between causes and background conditions tracks the distinction ...

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