
The Chances of Explanation
Causal Explanation in the Social, Medical, and Physical Sciences
Paul Humphreys(Author)
Princeton University Press
Will be published approx. on 19. April 2016
Book
Hardback
182 pages
978-0-691-63473-9 (ISBN)
Description
This book provides a post-positivist theory of deterministic and probabilistic causality that supports both quantitative and qualitative explanations. Features of particular interest include the ability to provide true explanations in contexts where our knowledge is incomplete, a systematic interpretation of causal modeling techniques in the social sciences, and a direct realist view of causal relations that is compatible with a liberal empiricism. The book should be of wide interest to both philosophers and scientists. Originally published in 1989. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Reviews / Votes
"A careful and sophisticated attempt to explicate the notion of explanation, especially in the probabilistic or statistical context."--Lawrence Sklar, The American ScientistMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New Jersey
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
443 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-691-63473-9 (9780691634739)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Paul Humphreys
The Chances of Explanation
Causal Explanation in the Social, Medical, and Physical Sciences
E-Book
07/2014
1st Edition
Princeton University Press
€37.99
Available for download
Person
Paul Humphreys
Content
*FrontMatter, pg. i*CONTENTS, pg. vii*PREFACE, pg. ix*CHAPTER ONE. Traditional Causation, pg. 3*CHAPTER TWO. Probabilistic Causation, pg. 22*CHAPTER THREE. Cause and Chance, pg. 61*CHAPTER FOUR. Scientific Explanations, pg. 98*APPENDIX ONE. Covariance Measures, pg. 143*APPENDIX TWO. Extension of the Basic Quantitative Theory, pg. 145*APPENDIX THREE. Transitivity and Negative Links, pg. 153*REFERENCES, pg. 158*INDEX, pg. 167