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Meaning and Scientific Status of Causality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2022

Henry Margenau*
Affiliation:
Yale University

Extract

The disagreement with regard to the validity of the principle of causality, existing to-day among scientists, has its roots in the diversity of definitions of the principle itself rather than in a problematic scientific situation. As far as the formulation of quantum theory is complete its bearing upon philosophical questions can be fixed with precision provided the questions are phrased intelligibly. But a question is intelligible from a scientific point of view only if it satisfies two conditions: (1) the meaning of its terms must be fixed; (2) it must be in accord with the conventions of the science to which the question is put.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association 1934

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References

1. H. Margenau, The Monist, Jan. 1932.

2. H. Margenau, The Monist, Jan. 1931; ibid. April 1932.