Im Rahmen unseres Philosophischen Kolloquiums laden wir herzlich ein zu einem Vortrag von 

Dennis Graemer und Frenzis H. Scheffels (Düsseldorf): Backward Causation as a Plausible Concept (Masterteamprojekt)

Abstract

Backward causation is neither a logically impossible concept nor an implausible one. To support this thesis, we will introduce Woodward’s (2003) interventionist theory of causation and show that the question of the actual existence of backward causation can be reduced to finding evidence for several ordinary forward causation hypotheses. In the second part we will focus on epistemic emergence and its influence on possibly found evidence of backward causation on a macro level. It will be shown that macro level backward causation is compatible with a physicalist world view which posits forward causation on the micro level. This means that our basic intuitions about the nature of causality are compatible with some forms of backward causation.

Zu den Personen

Dennis Graemer, B.A., is a master student of philosophy at the Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf. His research interests are mainly in epistemology, philosophy of science, ontology and also political philosophy. Frenzis H. Scheffels, B.A., is a master student of philosophy at the Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf. His research interests are mostly in epistemology, ontology, ethics and methodology of thought experiments.