Problems with using stability, specificity, and proportionality as criteria for evaluating strength of scientific causal explanations: commentary on Lynch et al. (2019)

Biology and Philosophy 35 (1):26 (2020)
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Abstract

Lynch et al. (Biol Philos 34:62, 2019) employ stability, specificity, and proportionality as criteria for evaluating microbiome causal explanations. Although these causal characteristics signify relevant differences between causal roles, I suggest that they should not be used as general criteria for strong or good causal explanations.

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10.1007/s10539-020-9739-2

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Gry Oftedal
University of Oslo

Citations of this work

Proportionality of single nucleotide causation.Gry Oftedal - 2022 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 93 (C):215-222.
The meaning of "cause" in genetics.Kate E. Lynch - 2021 - Combining Human Genetics and Causal Inference to Understand Human Disease and Development. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine.
Searching Probabilistic Difference-Making within Specificity.Andreas Lüchinger - 2021 - Kriterion – Journal of Philosophy 35 (3):217-235.

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References found in this work

Mental causation.Stephen Yablo - 1992 - Philosophical Review 101 (2):245-280.
Restricted Causal Relevance.Anders Strand & Gry Oftedal - 2019 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 70 (2):431-457.

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