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The Principle of the Common Cause Faces the Bernstein Paradox

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Jos Uffink
Jos Uffink*
Affiliation:
University of Utrecht
*
†Institute for History and Foundations of Mathematics and Science, University of Utrecht, P.O. Box 80.000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands; e-mail: uffink@phys.uu.nl.
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Abstract

I consider the problem of extending Reichenbach's principle of the common cause to more than two events, vis-à-vis an example posed by Bernstein. It is argued that the only reasonable extension of Reichenbach's principle stands in conflict with a recent proposal due to Horwich. I also discuss prospects of the principle of the common cause in the light of these and other difficulties known in the literature and argue that a more viable version of the principle is the one provided by Penrose and Percival (1962).

Type
Causation and Laws of Nature
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 66 , Issue S3: Supplement. Proceedings of the 1998 Biennial Meetings of the Philosophy of Science Association. Part I: Contributed Papers Sep., 1999 , 1999 , pp. S512 - S525
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 by the Philosophy of Science Association

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