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    To the same natural effects we must, as far as possible, ... — Carmelics
    Home/Natural Theology
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    To the same natural effects we must, as far as possible, assign the same causes.

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

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.We should admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances.
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    • 2.Parsimony in causal explanation requires assigning the same causes to the same effects wherever possible.
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    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
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    • 1.Superficially identical effects can arise from fundamentally distinct causal mechanisms, as multiple realizability in philosophy of mind demonstrates.
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    • 2.Equifinality—different causal paths converging on identical outcomes—is empirically attested in biology, thermodynamics, and developmental systems.
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    • 3.Mandating same-cause inference therefore risks systematically suppressing the discovery of causally distinct but phenomenally similar processes.
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    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Hume's own regularity theory of causation entails that causal identity is established by constant conjunction, not by resemblance of effects alone.
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    • 2.Newton's Rule III conflates the epistemic heuristic of parsimony with a metaphysical claim about causal sameness, a move Whewell's consilience framework explicitly rejects.
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    • 3.Without independent criteria for individuating 'same effects,' the rule is circular: cause-sameness and effect-sameness mutually presuppose each other.
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    Topics

    Natural TheologyCausation

    Connections

    1 topic

    Truth & Knowledge1 linked

    Related

    Equifinality—different causal paths converging on identical outcomes—is empirica...Hume's own regularity theory of causation entails that causal identity is establ...Mandating same-cause inference therefore risks systematically suppressing the di...Newton's Rule III conflates the epistemic heuristic of parsimony with a metaphys...
    +4 moreShow less
    Parsimony in causal explanation requires assigning the same causes to the same e...Superficially identical effects can arise from fundamentally distinct causal mec...We should admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and ...Without independent criteria for individuating 'same effects,' the rule is circu...

    Similar

    Parsimony in causal explanation requires assigning the same causes to ...84%Newton's Principle holds that from similar effects we can infer simila...83%Similar effects must arise from similar causes83%Conscious causes must be identical to some part of physical causes79%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: hume-newton
    View source passageHide passage
    Now, if one accepts (i), then the problem of induction reveals two (related) problems: (a) one concerns the connection among sensible qualities, and (b) the other concerns the connection between hidden qualities and the visible qualities. So, if one accepts (i), one might have thought, for example, that routinely (if not exception-less) conjoined sensible qualities must always presuppose the same combination of hidden/invisible qualities that produce them. So, one could solve the problem associa
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit