Causality, Hume, and Quantum Mechanics Essay - 1613 Words

Causality, Hume, and Quantum Mechanics It is my intention, in the course of this essay, to take the work of David Hume and reapply it to causality using quantum mechanical theory. When I refer to causality, I am referring to the belief that events have a relationship of action A causing action B where A is considered to be the final cause of B. I also refer to the belief that we can know and understand these causal relationships and thusly know how the system works. This is a concept that I do not agree with. This mechanistic causality, I feel, is a category of the mind. I wish to make it clear, before I begin, that I am not questioning the idea that cause/effect interactions do occur in reality. I am, however,†¦show more content†¦Instead of saying, I dropped the egg, it broke because of that action, one would say or think, The event of the egg breaking is an event preceded by an acceleration downward toward the floor. That event is preceded by a slip of my hand, or some external force. The event of the slip is preceded by a distracting thought and/or a moistening of my hand from contact with a wet surface, or by neither event. The event of the distracting thought being preceded by a memory of meeting an attractive person and/or having too much coffee, or by neither event. The event of the moist hand being preceded by failing to wipe the counter properly and/or inadequate drying of my hands, or by neither event. To be thorough, each of these strings of events would have to be traced back through each branch and go back until one finally rea ches the beginning of each string of events, the beginning of the universe, if there is one. But even this examination of events is not sufficient to describe all that goes on in this event. Each portion of the causal mechanism is divisible within itself into internal causes. Take the slip of the hand as an example. Some internal firing of neurons resulted in the slip of the hand. To be thorough, weShow MoreRelatedDefending Hard Determinism Against the Strongest Objections Raised Against It1161 Words   |  5 Pages of both hard determinism and its eventual nemesis indeterminism. Based on these definitions there will be a personal attempt at denying hard determinism. This will be accomplished through the introduction of David Hume and his radical philosophy on causality and the relation this may have on hard determinism, as well as the various possibilities it may distinguish. Furthermore the Causal Principle will also be introduced and slandered in its incapability to provide a Read MoreHume s Theory Of Free Will2486 Words   |  10 Pagesemphasized the freedom of action instead of freedom of will. For Hume, freedom means only the absence of external coercive force. I will argue in favor of Hume definition of free will from three perspectives. Firstly, I will argue that Hume’s agnosticism concerning the problem of mind and body relation was the solid epistemological basis for this this definition and it has not been refuted on scientific grounds. Unlike Descartes, Hume didn’t speculate about the nature of human mind and whether itRead MoreDavid Hume s Theory Of Free Will1559 Words   |  7 PagesAre you choosing to read this essay? Or are you just constrained by the laws of nature? David Hume describes The Problem of Free Will as ‘the most contentious question of metaphysics’. Initial exploration into this school of thought gave rise to several philosophical viewpoints supported by modern thinkers. Hard determinism bases its v iewpoint on the strict theory of causality, rejecting the idea of free will. On the contrary, Libertarianism opposes this, supporting the concept of free will and denyingRead MoreThe Cosmological Argument For The Existence Of God1957 Words   |  8 Pagespremiss is so intuitively obvious, especially when applied to the universe, that probably no one in his right mind really believes it to be false.† In fact, scientific investigation purposes to study cause-effect relationships, and the principle of causality serves as the basis for our systematic examination of the physical world. Common experience and empirical evidence continually verify the causal principle, and falsification has not occurred. These considerations lead Dr. Craig to conclude, â€Å"It is