Causation is the most fundamental connection in the universe. Without it, there would be no science or technology. There would be no moral responsibility either, as none of our thoughts would be connected with our actions and none of our actions with any consequences. Nor would we have a system of law because blame resides only in someone having caused injury or damage.
Any intervention we make in the world around us is premised on there being causal connections that are, to a degree, predictable. It is causation that is at the basis of prediction and also explanation. This Very Short Introduction introduces the key theories of causation and also the surrounding debates and controversies.

Causation is a central topic in many areas of philosophy. In metaphysics, philosophers want to know what causation is, and how it is related to laws of nature, probability, action, and freedom of the will. In epistemology, philosophers investigate how causal claims can be inferred from statistical data, and how causation is related to perception, knowledge and explanation. In the philosophy of mind, philosophers want to know whether and how the mind can be said to have causal efficacy, and in ethics, whether there is a moral distinction between acts and omissions and whether the moral value of an act can be judged according to its consequences.

Causation and Laws of Nature in Early Modern Philosophy

Some philosophers think physical explanations stand on their own: what happens, happens because things have the properties they do. Others think that any such explanation is incomplete: what happens in the physical world must be partly due to the laws of nature. Causation and Laws of Nature in Early Modern Philosophy examines the debate between these views from Descartes to Hume.

This book, written by two experienced clinicians who have both extensively researched and published on aspects of the causation of gastroenterological disease themselves, aims to present a critical, yet up-to-date account of the causation of the common and not so common diseases of the digestive system, both acute and chronic.

This book brings together the evidence on psychosocial factors that influence the causation and progression of coronary heart disease. These include macrosocial factors such as social class, broad social influences such as the impact of work and social support and personal aspects such as depression and hostility. An important part of the book is the description of psychological and social influences on diet, smoking and physical activity all of which may be implicated in the causation of heart disease.