Causation by Absence: Omission Impossible

Philosophia 48 (2):625-641 (2020)
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Abstract

In this paper, we argue that, omissions are not events or actions, but rather fact-like entities, and that, insofar as only events and actions can be causes, omissions cannot be causes. Nevertheless, since omissions can, and often do, play a role in the explanations of events, their place in such explanations must be found; and an attempt to find such a place is made.

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Lawrence Lombard
Wayne State University

Citations of this work

Events.Roberto Casati & Achille C. Varzi - 2020 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

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References found in this work

Abstract particulars.Keith Campbell - 1990 - Cambridge, Mass., USA: Blackwell.
Causation as influence.David Lewis - 2000 - Journal of Philosophy 97 (4):182-197.
The logical form of action sentences.Donald Davidson - 1967 - In Nicholas Rescher (ed.), The Logic of Decision and Action. University of Pittsburgh Press. pp. 81--95.
Causal relations.Donald Davidson - 1967 - Journal of Philosophy 64 (21):691-703.
Events as Property Exemplifications.Jaegwon Kim - 1976 - In M. Brand & D. Walton (eds.), Action Theory. D. Reidel. pp. 310-326.

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