Causal Explanations

Abstract

There are several forms of explanation, one of which being causal explanations. Causal explanations are often descriptions of mechanisms, i.e., descriptions of how a state change in one object, labelled ‘the cause’, is transmitted through a number of intermediate objects to the final effect, i.e., a state change in another object. So the fundamental structure of mechanistic explanations is that of chained cause-effect relations.The main points of this chapter are: Causal explanation is one kind of explanation beside several other kinds. A causal explanation often consists of describing the mechanism by which the cause produces its effect. Reasons for human actions are often viewed as causes of those actions, but that is controversial. Three types of causal explanations in terms of mechanisms are confounder mechanisms, feedbacks, and bifurcations.