View in EDS

The Meaning and Computation of Causal Power: Comment on Cheng (1997) and Novick and Cheng (2004)

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Meaning and Computation of Causal Power: Comment on Cheng (1997) and Novick and Cheng (2004)
Language: English
Authors: Luhmann, Christian C., Ahn, Woo-kyoung
Source: Psychological Review. Jul 2005 112(3):685-693.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications.
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2005
Document Type: Journal Articles
Opinion Papers
Descriptors: Logical Thinking, Causal Models, Reader Response, Misconceptions, Error Correction, Computation, Epistemology
ISSN: 0033-295X
Abstract: D. Hume (1739/1987) argued that causality is not observable. P. W. Cheng claimed to present "a theoretical solution to the problem of causal induction first posed by Hume more than two and a half centuries ago" (p. 398) in the form of the power PC theory (L. R. Novick & P. W. Cheng). This theory claims that people's goal in causal induction is to estimate causal powers from observable covariation and outlines how this can be done in specific conditions. The authors first demonstrate that if the necessary assumptions were ever met, causal powers would be self-evident to a reasoner-they are either 0 or 1--making the theory unnecessary. The authors further argue that the assumptions the power PC theory requires to compute causal power are unobtainable in the real world and, furthermore, people are aware that requisite assumptions are violated. Therefore, the authors argue that people do not attempt to compute causal power.
Abstractor: Author
Entry Date: 2006
Access URL: https://content.apa.org/journals/rev/112/3
Accession Number: EJ735368
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ735368
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Meaning and Computation of Causal Power: Comment on Cheng (1997) and Novick and Cheng (2004)
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Luhmann%2C+Christian+C%2E%22">Luhmann, Christian C.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ahn%2C+Woo-kyoung%22">Ahn, Woo-kyoung</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Psychological+Review%22"><i>Psychological Review</i></searchLink>. Jul 2005 112(3):685-693.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications.
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 9
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2005
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Opinion Papers
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Logical+Thinking%22">Logical Thinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Causal+Models%22">Causal Models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reader+Response%22">Reader Response</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Misconceptions%22">Misconceptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Error+Correction%22">Error Correction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computation%22">Computation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Epistemology%22">Epistemology</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0033-295X
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: D. Hume (1739/1987) argued that causality is not observable. P. W. Cheng claimed to present "a theoretical solution to the problem of causal induction first posed by Hume more than two and a half centuries ago" (p. 398) in the form of the power PC theory (L. R. Novick & P. W. Cheng). This theory claims that people's goal in causal induction is to estimate causal powers from observable covariation and outlines how this can be done in specific conditions. The authors first demonstrate that if the necessary assumptions were ever met, causal powers would be self-evident to a reasoner-they are either 0 or 1--making the theory unnecessary. The authors further argue that the assumptions the power PC theory requires to compute causal power are unobtainable in the real world and, furthermore, people are aware that requisite assumptions are violated. Therefore, the authors argue that people do not attempt to compute causal power.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: Author
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2006
– Name: URL
  Label: Access URL
  Group: URL
  Data: <link linkTarget="URL" linkTerm="https://content.apa.org/journals/rev/112/3" linkWindow="_blank">http://content.apa.org/journals/rev/112/3</link>
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ735368
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ735368
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 685
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Logical Thinking
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Causal Models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reader Response
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Misconceptions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Error Correction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Epistemology
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Meaning and Computation of Causal Power: Comment on Cheng (1997) and Novick and Cheng (2004)
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Luhmann, Christian C.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ahn, Woo-kyoung
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Type: published
              Y: 2005
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0033-295X
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 112
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Psychological Review
              Type: main
ResultId 1