Causation and Probability

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Wolfgang Spohn
• Subject Area: Theoretical Philosophy
• Term: from 2009 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 92484628

Causation, in particular in its connection to probability, has emerged as one of the most active fields in philosophy of science and its neighboring fields. Still, the current state of research is incomplete; central issues are starting being tackled only in the recent years or are even not really in the focus. The joint project wants to inquire four such issues: When precisely does a specific event or fact actually cause another event or fact? (As opposed to: what are causal laws?) How precisely are this-worldly mechanistic conceptions of causation related to other-worldly counterfactual conceptions? How can we have causation on different (micro and macro) levels and how then do the levels relate? And in which sense are causal relations features of objective reality? Whereas the first three subprojects engage in various details of the foundations of causal theorizing, the fourth subproject deepens the philosophical background of the current discussions. All subprojects have their own topic; but they are interrelated, and they will immensely profit from mutual cooperation. Together they will considerably promote the current state of research. For all subprojects, the role of probability is of vital importance; so, probabilistic methodology will be a further uniting component of the joint project. The IHPST and the Philosophy Department of the University of Konstanz are leading institutions for philosophy of science in their countries and have a long-standing cooperation. Thus they create optimal presuppositions for a successful implementation of the joint project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: France
• Participating Person: Professor Jacques Dubucs