A Critical Introduction to Causal Powers and Dispositions

A Critical Introduction to Causation and Causal Powers responds to a groundswell of interest in the topic of causal powers in contemporary metaphysics, presenting a fresh systematic overview of the realist literature, debates and arguments.

Introducing the topic via the lens of a contrast between passivism and anti-passivism, the contrast is established in the opening historical overview, plotting the course from Aristotle to early modern rationalism, through to Hume, Reid, Kant and Mill. As well as covering contemporary and 20th century neo-Humean accounts, this introduction includes a review of foundational work on causal powers and dispositional properties in the 1970s, taking care to include both a descriptive and an analytic component. Exploring contemporary anti-passivist thinking about causation, it covers leading theories of causation and provides powers-based approaches to matters such as laws, essences, necessitation, determinism, pandispositionalism, transitivity and induction. The ascription of causal powers to different kinds of potential causal bearer is also addressed: individual agents, sociological phenomena; abstractions and absences.

Offering a balanced approach to this key metaphysical topic, A Critical Introduction to Causation and Causal Powers not only introduces debates amongst anti-passivists, but explains throughout how the same issues are handled by passivists. With study questions and references for further reading at the end of each chapter, this is an accessible, up-to-date overview designed for students and researchers working in metaphysics today.

Ruth Groff writes about the ontology of causal powers and about the metaphysical infrastructure of social, political and moral thought. She teaches at Saint Louis University, USA. Her most recent book is Ontology Revisited: Metaphysics in Social and Political Philosophy. She is co-editor (with John Greco) of Powers and Capacities in Philosophy: The New Aristotelianism. Her next planned book, A Critical Introduction to Causal Powers and Dispositions, will be published by Bloomsbury.