Forthcoming
Critical Notes

Dr The Confirmation of Non-Causal Dependencies: On Kistler’s “Constitution and Causation in Mechanisms”

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  • Ken Aizawa
Ken Aizawa
Department of Philosophy, Rutgers University, Newark, United States.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36446/af.e1386

Published 2026-07-17

Keywords

  • Abduction,
  • Matched Interlevel Experiments,
  • Mutual Manipulability,
  • Non-Causal Dependence
  • Abducción,
  • Experimentos internivel emparejados,
  • Manipulabilidad mutua,
  • Dependencia no causal
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Abstract

Kistler’s “Constitution and Causation in Mechanisms” raises important issues regarding Craver, Glennan, and Povich’s “Matched Interlevel Experiments” approach to determining relations of non-causal dependence. Is this theory meant to be an account of actual scientific practice or merely a set of joint sufficiency conditions for determining relations of non-causal dependence? Has the manipulability approach to relations of non-causal dependence overlooked an important scientific source of evidence for relations of non-causal dependence? This paper draws attention to these questions.

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References

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