The Asymmetry of Counterfactual Dependence

Reference : The Asymmetry of Counterfactual Dependence


	Document type :	Scientific journals : Article
	Discipline(s) :	Arts & humanities : Philosophy & ethics
	To cite this reference:	http://hdl.handle.net/10993/29208

Title :	The Asymmetry of Counterfactual Dependence
Language :	English
Author, co-author :	Loew, Christian [University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (FLSHASE) > Identités, Politiques, Sociétés, Espaces (IPSE) >]
Publication date :	Jul-2017
Journal title :	Philosophy of Science
Publisher :	University of Chicago Press
Volume :	84
Issue/season :	3
Pages :	436-455
Peer reviewed :	Yes (verified by ORBi^lu)
Audience :	International
ISSN :	0031-8248
Abstract :	[en] A certain type of counterfactual is thought to be intimately related to causation, control, and explanation. The time asymmetry of these phenomena therefore plausibly arises from a time asymmetry of counterfactual dependence. But why is counterfactual dependence time asymmetric? The most influential account of the time asymmetry of counterfactual dependence is David Albert’s account, which posits a new, time-asymmetric fundamental physical law, the so-called “past hypothesis.” Albert argues that the time asymmetry of counterfactual dependence arises from holding fixed the past hypothesis when evaluating counterfactuals. In this paper, I argue that Albert’s account misconstrues the time asymmetry of counterfactual dependence.
Permalink :	http://hdl.handle.net/10993/29208

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