RE: A causes B *means* A always comes before B

From: gts (gts_2000@yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Nov 20 2002 - 20:05:16 MST


Quoting David Hume's position, as paraphrased at the URL posted by, (I
think), Jef...

> Now let's look at how we arrive at the claim: A causes B.

> 1. We notice that events of type A are followed by events of type B.
> 2. We notice that this happens every time we find an event of type A,
we also find
> an event of type B.
> 3. We notice that A always occurs before the B event.
> 4. We also notice that if we find an event of type B, we find an
earlier occurrence of a type
> A event.

This is a much stronger position than that which you have so far
advocated, Lee, and it is one with which I cannot find fault.

Contrary to the thread title, condition #3 is not, according to Hume,
sufficient reason to accept a claim of causality.

Hume also requires, (and as I require, as I argued in a previous post of
mine here),
conditions #2 and #4. (Condition #1 seems redundant to me.)

-gts



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