In terms of the concept of an active causal route, Hitchcock represent actual otherwise token causation about pursuing the conditions:
(10) If c and e are distinct actual events and X and Z 
are binary variables whose values represent the occurrence and non-occurrence of these events, then c is a cause of e if and only if there is an active causal route from X to Z in an appropriate causal model
Lewis hotel so you’re able to quasi-reliance because shattering of your bottle (e) will not counterfactually depend on Suzys throw (c), because of what can features occurred had she not thrown (viz, Billys material might have shattered the latest container alternatively)
As previously mentioned, (10) doesnt deal with instances of symmetric overdetermination given that whenever Suzy and you can Billy each other put their rocks alone, per throw is enough toward package to break, and you may one another stones strike the bottle very none toss preempts new almost every other, as neither place is found on a dynamic channel as the defined when you look at the (9). To cope with such as for example instances, Hitchcock weakens (10) by the replacement the new ‘effective channel inside (10) towards thought of an effective weakly energetic route (2001: 290). By far the most suggestion right here that there is a weakly effective route ranging from X and you can Z only when Z counterfactually depends on X under the cold of a few you are able to, not necessarily real, opinions of parameters that aren’t towards route of X so you’re able to Z. Intuitively, to recuperate counterfactual dependence anywhere between Suzys throw and the shattering we hold repaired BT = 0: got Suzy not thrown from the model in which Billy does not put, the latest bottles do not have shattered. Furthermore to have Billys throw.
The essential means implemented here to handle each other preemption and you will symmetric overdetermination holds an obvious resemblance to help you Lewiss quasi-dependence substitute for the fresh new late preemption condition. age quasi-hinges on c, yet not, due to the fact one to during the a possible globe with the same statutes the spot where the intrinsic profile of the process out-of c in order to e is similar but Billy does not put, there is the called for counterfactual reliance. ‘Cold parameters that aren’t intrinsic toward c-e techniques on its real opinions (inside the late preemption times) e.g. freezing BH at the 0 transforms more or less an equivalent trick. New center difference is the fact Lewiss services relates to appealing to the fresh realities out of a perfectly typical counterfactual (“In the event that Suzy hadn’t thrown, …”) on a possible industry where some actual occurrences (elizabeth.grams. Billys strike) you should never are present, because structural-equations services pertains to popular with the situation off a counterfactual having a unique particular antecedent (“Got Suzy maybe not tossed and Billys rock nonetheless maybe not strike, …”). Hitchcock phone calls these types of ‘explicitly nonforetracking (ENF) counterfactuals. (Also to own shaped overdetermination, in which we ‘freeze BT from the 0 this time around a non-actual well worth to recover counterfactual dependence anywhere between Suzys put and also the smashing.)
5.dos SEF and you will Counterfactuals
Whoever has pursued the new SEF approach to taking an analysis from ‘actual causation which is, the causal loved ones ranging from real, kind of events have experienced almost no to express concerning the semantics of counterfactuals you to underpin SEF. Particular writers (age.g. Hitchcock 2001) explicitly and several article writers implicitly suppose a generally Lewisian method of counterfactuals, therefore the structural equations was representations from affairs out of items on the counterfactual reliance given that discussed a lot more than whose details standards is actually generally Lewisian.