What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to provide a criterion for identifying when overdetermining causes are equivalent to an effect.

January 15, 2026Synthese0 citations

A sufficient condition for disentangling causal overdetermination

JGJorge Luis GarcíaInner Mongolia University

Key Points

The study aims to provide a criterion for identifying when overdetermining causes are equivalent to an effect.
Introduced a novel approach using algebraic structures.
Defined symmetric redundancy in the context of causal relationships.
Proved conditions under which causal roles can be distinguished.
Demonstrated specific conditions that allow individuation of causal roles.
Provided insight into symmetrical contributions to effects.

Abstract

Causal overdetermination occurs when distinct events make symmetrical causal contributions to the occurrence of an effect. A criterion is called for that would allow us to distinguish cases where the overdetermining causes are on par with the effect from those where they are not. This study provides a partial answer to this question. To this end, we introduce a novel approach to characterize causal relations in terms of algebraic structures. Starting with a formal definition of symmetric redundancy couched in terms of the symmetries of the causal structure, we prove that, if such symmetries satisfy certain conditions, then the causal roles of overdetermining causes can be individuated in principle.

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