Universal causation

According to William Whewell (hypothetico-deductivist view) the concept of universal causation depends on three axioms: • Nothing takes place without a cause. • The magnitude of an effect is proportional to the magnitude of its cause. • To every action there is an equal and opposed reaction. Whewell writes that the first axiom is so clear that it requires no proof if only the idea of cause is understood. Example Example for the axiom: if a baseball is moving through the air, it must be moving this way because of a previous interaction with another object, such as being hit by a baseball bat. Criticism An epistemological axiom is a self-evident truth. Thus the "Axiom of Causality" claims to be a universal rule that is so obvious that it does not need to be proved to be accepted. Even among epistemologists, the existence of such a rule is controversial. ==As Law of Universal Causation or Principle of Universal Causation (PUC)==

John Stuart Mill describes the Law of Universal Causation in following way: Contrary to hypothetico-deductivists Mill focuses on inductive reasoning and observations in framing of the Law of Universal Causation i.e. uses basic features of experimental methods and convinces, after critical analysis, that this law is proved by induction better than any other of subordinate generalizations. it is reasonable to say that it is true in every case, moreover counter-example i.e. event that does not have a cause is hard to conceive. == Criticism ==

Modern version of law of universal causation is connected with Newtonian physics, but is also criticized for instance by David Hume who presents skeptical reductionist view on causality. Since then his view on the concept of causality is often predominating (see Causality, After the Middle Ages). Kant answered to Hume in many aspects, defending the a priority of universal causation. In 2017 book Robert C. Koons & Timothy Pickavance point out four objections to Universal Causation: • If we additionally assume mereological universalism, universal causation doesn't exclude self-causation, which is controversial. • Pluralized causal principle - there are pluralized versions of universal causation, that allow exceptions to the principle. • Robert K. Meyer's causal chain principle, uses set theory axioms, assumes that something must cause itself in set of causes and so universal causation doesn't exclude self-causation. • Against infinite regress. ==Spontaneity==

One implication of Universal Causation is that if a phenomenon appears to occur without any observable external cause, the cause must be internal. Variation Another implication of the Universal Causation is that all change in the universe is a result of the continual application of physical laws. Determinism If all events are cause and effect relationships that follow universal rules, then all events—past, present and future—are theoretically determinate. First Cause and possible exceptions If all effects are the result of previous causes, then the cause of a given effect must itself be the effect of a previous cause, which itself is the effect of a previous cause, and so on, forming an infinite logical chain of events that can have no beginning (see: Cyclic model), however usually it is assumed that there is one (see: Big Bang, the religious belief in Creationism or pseudo-scientific idea of Intelligent design). Exception for the Universal Causation - First Cause is sometimes pointed out to be logically necessary for it to not contradict itself. An infinite chain of events is hard to conceive in a finite world. The answer is a looped chain of events. But this is also questioned as the whole loop would have no cause. However it can not be ruled out that the Universe is infinite in time or can expand infinitely. Other exceptions are pointed out - only every of the following things are caused: • contingent and unnecessary, • causable, • that have beginning, • finite. == See also ==