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Can There beA PrioriCausal Models of Natural Selection?

Can There beA PrioriCausal Models of Natural Selection?

Authors :
Marc Lange
Alexander Rosenberg
Source :
Australasian Journal of Philosophy. 89:591-599
Publication Year :
2011
Publisher :
Informa UK Limited, 2011.

Abstract

Sober 2011 argues that, contrary to Hume, some causal statements can be known a priori to be true—notably, some ‘would promote’ statements figuring in causal models of natural selection. We find Sober's argument unconvincing. We regard the Humean thesis as denying that causal explanations contain any a priori knowable statements specifying certain features of events to be causally relevant. We argue that not every ‘would promote’ statement is genuinely causal, and we suggest that Sober has not shown that his examples of ‘would promote’ statements manage to achieve a priori status without sacrificing their causal character.

Details

ISSN :
14716828 and 00048402
Volume :
89
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Australasian Journal of Philosophy
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........f77a91ff5107c6f606aaad6021fcc223
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1080/00048402.2011.598175