“介入之下的不变性”——论可操控性因果概念及其社会科学哲学意蕴

可操控性概念将因果关系刻画为介入之下的不变性,这是近些年越来越被主流科学哲学的讨论所接受的视角。它一方面跳出了能动性因果理论的人类中心主义窠臼,另一方面又避免了律则性因果理论的缺陷,能够主张有限程度的因果意义。这对于刻画社会科学的因果定律与说明有较大的优越性。

Invariance under Intervention:Manipulability Theory of Causality and What it Means for Philosophy of the Social Sciences

Manipulability theory characterizes causality as invariance under intervention,which has already been widely accepted by mainstream discussion in philosophy of science.For one thing,it makes distinction from agency theory of causality by eliminating anthropocentrism.For another,it also goes beyond the regularity theory of causality,which could only explicate causal relation as laws of nature without any exception.Therefore,manipulability theory has greatly advantages on illustrating causal laws and explanat...