Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    If soft past facts are causable via the future free acts ... — Carmelics
    Home
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    Part of a larger discussion

    Challenges→The necessity of the past may simply be the principle that past events are outside the class of causable events.

    If soft past facts are causable via the future free acts they are about, then past events cannot be uniformly excluded from the class of causable events.

    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.Soft facts about the past (e.g., 'it was true that X would happen') depend on future free acts for their truth conditions.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If soft facts depend on future free acts, then those future acts causally determine whether soft past facts obtain.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.Once causation can flow from future to past via soft facts, the principle excluding all past events from causability collapses.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Soft facts are not genuine facts about the past; they are about future contingencies, so backward causation doesn't actually occur.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Semantic dependence (soft facts depend on future truth) differs fundamentally from causal dependence and doesn't establish causation.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.Even granting soft facts are causable, this is compatible with excluding hard past events from causability—a meaningful distinction remains.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Sign in or register to share your perspective on this statement.

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.

    Connections

    1 topic

    Free Will & Foreknowledge1 linked

    Related

    Even granting soft facts are causable, this is compatible with excluding hard pa...If soft facts depend on future free acts, then those future acts causally determ...Once causation can flow from future to past via soft facts, the principle exclud...Semantic dependence (soft facts depend on future truth) differs fundamentally fr...
    +3 moreShow less
    Soft facts about the past (e.g., 'it was true that X would happen') depend on fu...Soft facts are not genuine facts about the past; they are about future contingen...The necessity of the past may simply be the principle that past events are outsi...

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit