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Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on: August 7, 2017

Causation comes in degrees.

Huzeyfe Demirtas¹

¹Department of Philosophy, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York USA.

|March 7, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

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Causation is often viewed as an all-or-nothing concept, but this paper argues that causation actually comes in degrees. This nuanced understanding is crucial for evaluating complex events and their contributing factors.

Area of Science:

Philosophy of Science
Causal Inference

Background:

Everyday reasoning and discourse often rely on a graded understanding of causation.
Contemporary philosophical accounts frequently treat causation as an on-off phenomenon.
The legitimacy of discussing degrees of causation is debated, with some viewing it as illusory.

Purpose of the Study:

To challenge the prevailing view of causation as strictly on-off.
To argue for the existence and validity of degrees of causation.
To provide a philosophical basis for understanding varying causal contributions.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis of causation.
Examination of philosophical arguments for and against graded causation.
Development of a theoretical framework supporting degrees of causation.

Keywords:

Causal contribution Causal responsibility Degrees of causation Moral responsibility More of a cause

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Main Results:

The paper establishes that causation inherently possesses degrees.
It demonstrates the inadequacy of on-off models for capturing causal complexity.
Provides arguments against the notion that degrees of causation are illusory.

Conclusions:

Causation is not binary but exists on a spectrum.
Recognizing degrees of causation is essential for accurate analysis of real-world events.
The concept of graded causation should be embraced in philosophical and scientific discourse.