Probability and Causation: Based on Epistemological Approach

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Bagherboum, Mojdeh | 2021

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Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
Language: Farsi
Document No: 54618 (42)
University: Sharif University of Technology
Department: Philosophy of Science
Advisor(s): Azadegan, Ebrahim
Abstract:
After Hume’s skeptical argument on the concept of causality and establishing the regularity theory of causation by him, it seemed that the regularity theory might not respond to irrelevance problems and spurious regularities. In the second half of the twentieth century, attempts were made, e.g. Hans Reichenbach's proposal of the “common cause principle,” for solving the problems of regularity theory which resulted in probabilistic approach to causal relationships. The importance of the common cause principle is that it has inspired the “Causal Markov Condition” which is the most fundamental condition for causal networks. The causal Markov condition states that a variable X is probabilistically independent of every other variable (except X’s effects) conditional on all its direct causes. The causal Markov condition have been facing many criticisms, though it plays an important role in many disciplines such as medicine, and engineering, in so far as any experimental test does not make sense without it. The current study is an introduction to the “causal Markov condition” and debates on its acceptance or rejection
Keywords:
Probability ; Causal Networks ; Causality ; Deterministic and Indeterministic Causal Systems ; Causal Markov Condition ; Causality Probabilistic Theory

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