评密尔的因果理论

Mill's Theory of Causation

密尔继承培根的排除归纳法的思想,提出著名的五种实验研究方法,并对因果关系给以定义,其定义的核心是普遍因果律。既然密尔不接受康德的先验理论,他就必须为普遍因果律的合理性给以经验主义的辩护。他把普遍因果律奠定在简单枚举法的基础之上,他的这一辩护一般被认为是不成功的。关于因果关系,密尔在休谟的两类事件恒常汇合的基础上加进了"无条件性"的限制。这一限制带来两个严重后果:使原因和结果之间的时间次序成为不必要的和使因果关系的载体由现象或事件变为实体与其属性。

Mill inherited Bacon＇s thought of methods of elimination. He proposed the famous five methods of experimental inquiry, and gave the definition of causality whose core was the law of universal causality. Mill must justify the law of universal causality on the basis of empiricism since he didn＇t accept Kant＇s transcendental theory. Mill put the law of universal causality on the basis of the method of simple enumeration, and it is unsuccessful in general. With regard to causality, Mill added a restriction of ＇unconditional＇on Hume＇s ＇constant conjunction between two kinds of event＇. There are two serious consequences following the restriction. One of them is that the order of time between the cause and effect become unnecessary, and another is that the carrier of causality changes into entities and their attributes from phenomena or events.