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Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 April 2026

Nancy Cartwright
Affiliation:
University of Durham
Eileen Munro
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
John Pemberton
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
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Summary

This book shows how to warrant claims about causation in a particular place at a particular time, ‘here and now’, ‘there and then’ – ‘singular’ causation. Good warrant matters if your efforts to affect change are to work. But you cannot properly warrant that a relation obtains without understanding what that relation is. To this end, Part 1 offers a set of features that characterise singular causal relations. These make up a ‘thick’ theory of singular causation, offering far more information than the usual ‘thin’ definitions, like those based on counterfactual or probabilistic dependence, difference-making or production. Details about how causal processes work play a central role here. This theory then provides the grounds for, in Part 2, identifying and systemising what kinds of evidence can warrant singular causal claims. Part 3 shows how this account may be used in practice, using examples from child protection.

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  • Introduction
  • Nancy Cartwright, University of Durham, Eileen Munro, London School of Economics and Political Science, John Pemberton, London School of Economics and Political Science
  • Book: Causal Processes and their Warrant
  • Online publication: 30 April 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009408332.002
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  • Introduction
  • Nancy Cartwright, University of Durham, Eileen Munro, London School of Economics and Political Science, John Pemberton, London School of Economics and Political Science
  • Book: Causal Processes and their Warrant
  • Online publication: 30 April 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009408332.002
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • Nancy Cartwright, University of Durham, Eileen Munro, London School of Economics and Political Science, John Pemberton, London School of Economics and Political Science
  • Book: Causal Processes and their Warrant
  • Online publication: 30 April 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009408332.002
Available formats
×