Getting Causes from Powers, by Stephen Mumford and Rani Lill Anjum.
L. E. Glynn · Mind · 2012
In this book, Mumford and Anjum advance a theory of causation based on a metaphysics of powers. The book is for the most part lucidly written, and contains some interesting contributions: in particular on the (lack of) necessary connection between cause and effect and on the perceivability of the causal relation. I do, however, have reservations about some of the book’s central theses: in particular, that cause and effect are simultaneous, and that causes can fruitfully be represented as vectors. Mumford and Anjum advance a theory of causation based on a metaphysics of powers. On their view, causation is a relation between property instances (p. 1). Properties are clusters of powers (p. 3) and powers are dispositions (p. 4) — a conjunction of views which the authors term ‘pandispositionalism’ (p. 3). In virtue of the powers or dispositions which they comprise, properties are able to produce certain effects. A disposition or power is something that has possible manifestations, though it may exist unmanifested (p. 5). The manifestation towards which a disposition disposes determines its identity: the disposition whose manifestation is being broken (/dissolved/stretched) is fragility (/solubility/elasticity) (pp. 5, 224). The manifestation of a power is a property: that is — on the pandispositionalist view — a further power or cluster of powers (p. 5). The fire is hot. This means, perhaps among other things, that the fire has a power or disposition to warm nearby objects. Causation occurs when this disposition manifests: that is, when the objects are warmed (p. 6). In general, powers are productive of their manifestations and so causation occurs when powers exercise themselves (pp. 6, 7).