And Why Anything That Can Happen Does: A Theory of Causality by Thomas Nagel

In his 2006 book, And Why Anything That Can Happen Does: A Theory of Causality, American philosopher Thomas Nagel argues that causation is not a necessary relation between events, but rather a contingent one that depends on the way that events are connected in the world. Nagel's theory of causation is based on the idea that there are two kinds of events: events that are causally necessary and events that are causally sufficient.

The Quantum Universe: (And Why Anything That Can Happen, Does)

by Brian Cox

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9194 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	264 pages

FREE

Causally necessary events are events that must happen if their causes happen. For example, if you drop a glass on the floor, it will break. This is because the force of the glass hitting the ground is causally necessary for the glass to break. Causally sufficient events, on the other hand, are events that can happen without their causes happening. For example, you could drop a glass on the floor and it might not break. This is because there are other factors that could prevent the glass from breaking, such as if it lands on a soft surface.

Nagel argues that causation is not a necessary relation between events because there are always other factors that could prevent an event from happening, even if its causes happen. For example, you could drop a glass on the floor and it might not break because it lands on a soft surface. This shows that the force of the glass hitting the ground is not causally necessary for the glass to break.

Nagel also argues that causation is not a sufficient relation between events because there are always other factors that could cause an event to happen, even if its causes do not happen. For example, you could drop a glass on the floor and it might break because it is made of thin glass. This shows that the force of the glass hitting the ground is not causally sufficient for the glass to break.

Nagel's theory of causation has been influential in the philosophy of science and the philosophy of mind. It has also been used to argue against the existence of free will.

Reviews

"Nagel's book is a major contribution to the philosophy of causation. It is a clear and well-argued defense of a theory of causation that is both original and insightful."—Jerry Fodor, Rutgers University

"Nagel's book is a must-read for anyone interested in the philosophy of causation. It is a provocative and challenging work that will change the way you think about the world."—Daniel Dennett, Tufts University

"Nagel's book is a brilliant and important contribution to the philosophy of causation. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the nature of reality."—David Chalmers, New York University

Free Download Now

You can Free Download And Why Anything That Can Happen Does: A Theory of Causality by Thomas Nagel from Our Book Library.com or Barnes & Noble.

The Quantum Universe: (And Why Anything That Can Happen, Does)

by Brian Cox

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9194 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	264 pages

FREE