Author: sesser76

New Work on Causation and Conserved Quantities

I read an interesting and thought-provoking paper: “Causation and the conservation of energy in general relativity” by Sebastián Murgueitio Ramírez, James Read, and Andrés Páez (forthcoming in The BJPS[1]). The paper is about the apparent problems the general theory of relativity (GR) presents for Phil Dowe’s conserved quantity theory of causation (CQTC). The authors examine… Continue reading New Work on Causation and Conserved Quantities

The “Causal” in a Causal Theory of Spacetime

Across several posts, I have outlined how a causal process theory can provide an attractive ontology for phenomena described by the natural sciences, from quantum physics to biology. An exception, mentioned in a recent post, is that I haven’t had much to say about the spacetime of general relativity (GR). This topic is complicated by… Continue reading The “Causal” in a Causal Theory of Spacetime

Research-Driven Giving Ideas Targeting Global Causes

Ahead of this year’s Giving Tuesday, I wanted to share some recommendations in case anyone finds it helpful.  I will keep it brief – feedback is very welcome! While my wife Dana and I support a diverse group of local charities and non-profits, we have also tried in recent years to “zoom out”—undertaking a wider… Continue reading Research-Driven Giving Ideas Targeting Global Causes

Questions About Time and Space

The last post presented a version of causal process theory as a framework for ontology. The world is fundamentally a causal network, made up of persisting causal processes that participate in change-producing interaction events. As I mentioned, many details would need to be filled in to have a more complete picture. Below, I tackle a… Continue reading Questions About Time and Space

Work in Process

There is a contemporary movement among a number of philosophers, inspired by biology, to pursue a process-oriented metaphysics. These theorists argue that standard approaches are inadequate because they do not capture the essentially dynamic nature of biological systems. Traditional ontologies begin with essentially stable building blocks (a “thing” such as a substance, object, or particle).… Continue reading Work in Process

The Causal Roots of Consciousness

In this post I recap my preferred framework for tackling the hard problem of consciousness, and then try to extend the analysis a bit deeper.  I have favored a “divide and conquer” strategy that recognizes two dimensions to the problem. Our conscious experience has both a qualitative character and a subjective character, and both can… Continue reading The Causal Roots of Consciousness

What Scientific Understanding Implies About Causation

The last post discussed the idea that understanding is an epistemic achievement distinct from knowledge.  In particular, some philosophers have made the case that understanding doesn’t require truth. I focused in on one corollary of this idea: scientific understanding can be achieved via causal explanations that utilize idealization.  This is possible because false characterizations in… Continue reading What Scientific Understanding Implies About Causation

Thoughts on Scientific Understanding and Realism

I think one of the most helpful recent developments in philosophy has been the increased focus on understanding as an epistemic aim distinct from knowledge. For an overview, see Stephen Grimm’s new entry in the SEP. While I don’t specialize in epistemology, thinking about understanding has made some things clearer to me when it comes… Continue reading Thoughts on Scientific Understanding and Realism

RQM and Molecular Composition

According to the last post, the constitution of complex natural systems should be understood using a theory of composite causal processes. Composite causal processes are formed from a pattern of discrete causal interactions among a group of smaller sub-processes. When the latter sustains a higher rate of in-group versus out-group interactions, they form a composite.… Continue reading RQM and Molecular Composition