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Single Case Causes: What is Evidence and Why

Cartwright, N.

Authors



Contributors

H. Chao
Editor

J. Reiss
Editor

Abstract

How do we establish singular causal claims? It seems we do this all the time, from courtrooms to cloud chambers. Nevertheless, there is a strong lobby in the evidence-based medicine and policy movements that argues that we cannot make reliable causal judgments about single cases in these areas. So we cannot tell whether a policy or treatment ‘worked’ for any specific individual. This paper argues the contrary. It provides a catalogue of evidence types that can support singular causal claims, and it develops a theoretical framework that shows that these types are evidence for causation in the single case.

Citation

Cartwright, N. (2016). Single Case Causes: What is Evidence and Why. In H. Chao, & J. Reiss (Eds.), Philosophy of science in practice : Nancy Cartwright and the nature of scientific reasoning (11-24). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45532-7_2

Online Publication Date Dec 28, 2016
Publication Date Dec 28, 2016
Deposit Date Sep 15, 2015
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Publisher Springer Verlag
Pages 11-24
Series Title Synthese library : studies in epistemology, logic, methodology, and philosophy of science
Edition 1st ed.
Book Title Philosophy of science in practice : Nancy Cartwright and the nature of scientific reasoning.
ISBN 9783319455303
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45532-7_2
Additional Information Also Durham University: CHESS Working Paper No. 2015-02.