Causality
Causality is the Law of Identity applied over time.
It is the identity of actions.
An action requires an entity.
It presupposes an entity.
Without an entity, action is meaningless.
There are no "floating" actions that aren't actions of an entity.
Action is a change in the identity of an entity.
Every action has a particular nature.
The action is determined by the entities involved.
The change of the entities occurs based on the identities.
A marble, when dropped, falls towards the ground.
Its position (part of its identity) changes.
This change, though, is dependent on the nature of the objects involved.
It is dependent on the Earth and the Earth's gravity.
It is dependent on the friction of the air.
A log that burns is also acting.
Its identity is changing.
In this case, its position stays the same, but its chemical structure is changing.
It is changing into ash.
It is releasing smoke into the air.
The oxygen in the air is being combined with the carbon in the fire.
Heat is being released.
All of these changes are determined by the identity of the entities involved.
As the entities change, so do their natures.
With the altered identities, the actions change to match.
This continual process of change is all determined by the initial identities.
Causality is the term used to describe this dependence of an action on the identities of the entities involved.
The changes in the identities of the objects are a result of their identities interacting.
This interaction, which is an action, is based on the previous natures of the objects involved.
In short, for something to change (which is an effect), it needs to be acted on (caused) by a previous action.
This previous action, or change, is an effect as well.
Every effect must have a cause.
That cause, however, is an effect of a previous cause.
Causality is the law that states that each cause has a specific effect,
and that this effect is dependent on the identities of the agents involved.
(This page mirrored from Importance of Philosophy.com)
|
