Chapter 1 - types of claims pt.2 Flashcards
what is counterfactual causes?
the casual claim “C is a cause of E” means: if C had not happened, then E would not have happened = counterfactual claim implied by casual claim.
what is the example of counterfactuals causes?
the US invasion of Iraq caused the rise of ISIS.
means: if there had been NO US invasion of Iraq, then there would have been NO rise of ISIS.
what is structural causes?
oppressive rule (fuel) = Bouazizi self-immolation (a spark) = collapse of Tunisian regime.
what is triggering event?
it generates the outcome only in combination with other (structural) causes. isn’t sufficient by itself.
what is necessary condition?
for war to happen, there needs to be an accidental escalation of hostilities. “condition C must happen for outcome E to emerge”. condition C = necessary condition for E.
Ex: a large middle class is a necessary condition for the emergence of democracy.
what is conjunctional causation?
when an effect depends on a combination of causes.
what are the types of conjunctional causation?
- multiple necessary conditions: the effect only happens when more than one condition is present. (plant growth requires BOTH water AND sunlight).
- conditional effect: the effect of cause C on E depends on cause D. (an hour of sunlight causes = 1 cm of plant growth when it is not raining/2cm of plant growth when it is raining).
what is sufficient condition?
a cause that always produces an effect.
ex: a fire is sufficient to cause heat.
what is multiple causation?
when there is more than one set of causes that can produce an effect.
A can cause E
or
C can cause E
what is the combination of multiple & conjunctural causation?
a combination of A + B can cause E.
a combination of C + D can cause E.
what is the deterministic causal claim?
a claim about what must happen or cannot happen as a result of particular causal conditions.
- the outcome cant happen when the cause is absent.
- the outcome must happen when the cause is present.
- necessary or sufficient conditions claims are deterministic claims.
what is probabilistic casual claim?
a claim that a cause makes an outcome more (or less) likely to occur.
- NOT: “oppression is likely to cause a rebellion”
INSTEAD: “oppression makes rebellion more likely to occur”.
what is probabilistic casual claim?
a claim that a cause makes an outcome more (or less) likely to occur.
- NOT: “oppression is likely to cause a rebellion”
INSTEAD: “oppression makes rebellion more likely to occur”.
