Master Causation: Delve into the Intriguing World of Causes and Effects

Question 1

According to David Hume, causation is best understood as:

Accepted Answer

A constant conjunction of events

Answer

A necessary and sufficient condition

Answer

An act of will

Answer

A logical implication

Question 2

Which of the following is a necessary condition for an event to be a cause of another event?

Accepted Answer

The cause must precede the effect in time.

Answer

The cause must be sufficient to bring about the effect.

Answer

The cause must be the only factor that brings about the effect.

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The cause must be intentional.

Question 3

According to the counterfactual theory of causation, an event C is a cause of an event E if and only if:

Accepted Answer

E would not have occurred without C.

Answer

C would not have occurred without E.

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C and E are temporally related.

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C is the only factor that brings about E.

Question 4

According to the causal process theory, causation is a process that:

Accepted Answer

Transmits causal power from one event to another.

Answer

Connects events in a necessary and sufficient way.

Answer

Is always deterministic.

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Is always intentional.

Question 5

According to Hume's theory of causation, what is the relationship between cause and effect?

Accepted Answer

A constant and regular conjunction

Answer

A necessary and sufficient condition

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A logical implication

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A metaphysical necessity

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a probabilistic causal claim?

Accepted Answer

Smoking may cause lung cancer.

Answer

Every event has a cause.

Answer

If I flick this switch, the light will turn on.

Answer

The existence of God caused the universe.

Question 7

What is the distinction between a proximate cause and an ultimate cause?

Accepted Answer

Proximate causes are closer in time or space to the effect, while ultimate causes are more distant.

Answer

Proximate causes are always more important than ultimate causes.

Answer

Ultimate causes are always necessary, while proximate causes are not.

Answer

There is no meaningful distinction between proximate and ultimate causes.

Question 8

What is the difference between a mechanistic explanation and a teleological explanation?

Accepted Answer

Mechanistic explanations focus on the efficient causes of an event, while teleological explanations focus on its final causes.

Answer

Teleological explanations are always more scientific than mechanistic explanations.

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Mechanistic explanations are only possible in the natural sciences, while teleological explanations are also possible in the humanities.

Answer

There is no meaningful distinction between mechanistic and teleological explanations.

Question 9

Which of the following philosophical arguments supports the existence of free will and challenges causal determinism?

Accepted Answer

The Argument from Moral Responsibility

Answer

The Cosmological Argument

Answer

The Ontological Argument

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The Teleological Argument

Question 10

Which of the following is a key distinction between deterministic and probabilistic theories of causation?

Accepted Answer

Deterministic theories predict outcomes with certainty, while probabilistic theories only predict probabilities.

Answer

Deterministic theories focus on individual events, while probabilistic theories focus on populations of events.

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Deterministic theories assume that causes are always external to the system, while probabilistic theories allow for internal causes.

Answer

Deterministic theories are based on empirical evidence, while probabilistic theories are based on logical principles.

Question 11

The concept of causal preemption refers to the idea that:

Accepted Answer

A cause can be prevented from producing its effect by a subsequent cause.

Answer

An effect can occur even if its primary cause has been removed.

Answer

Causes must occur before their effects in order to be considered causal.

Answer

Effects always resemble their causes in some way.

Question 12

The concept of causal efficacy refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Power of a cause to produce an effect.

Answer

Ability of an effect to cause its own cause.

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Necessary connection between a cause and its effect.

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Temporal priority of a cause over its effect.

Question 13

What is the distinction between a necessary and a sufficient condition?

Accepted Answer

A necessary condition must be present for an event to occur, while a sufficient condition is sufficient to cause an event to occur.

Answer

A necessary condition is always present when an event occurs, while a sufficient condition is sometimes present when an event occurs.

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A necessary condition is more significant than a sufficient condition.

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There is no distinction between a necessary and a sufficient condition.

Question 14

Which theory of causation places emphasis on the repeated association of events?

Accepted Answer

Humean theory

Answer

Causal chain theory

Answer

Probabilistic theory

Answer

Counterfactual theory

Question 15

Which condition is NOT considered essential for causation according to the manipulability account?

Accepted Answer

The cause must be intentional.

Answer

The cause must precede the effect.

Answer

The cause must be followed by the effect.

Answer

The cause must make a difference in the occurrence of the effect.

Question 16

Which theory of causation focuses on the notion that causes are events that lead to their effects?

Accepted Answer

Event causation theory

Answer

Process causation theory

Answer

Mental causation theory

Answer

Teleological causation theory

Question 17

According to the causal process theory, a cause is:

Accepted Answer

a process that brings about its effect

Answer

an event that brings about its effect

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a mental state that brings about its effect

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a purpose that brings about its effect

Question 18

Which type of causation involves a mental state directly causing a physical effect?

Accepted Answer

Mental causation

Answer

Physical causation

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Biological causation

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Social causation

Question 19

Which theory of causation proposes that causes are goal-directed or purposeful?

Accepted Answer

Aristotelian causation

Answer

Humean causation

Answer

Causal process causation

Answer

Manipulability causation

Question 20

According to Hume, what is the relationship between cause and effect?

Accepted Answer

A constant conjunction observed through experience

Answer

A logical entailment

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An a priori connection

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An arbitrary association

Question 21

Which of the following is a key feature of the counterfactual theory of causation?

Accepted Answer

It defines causation in terms of the absence of alternative outcomes

Answer

It emphasizes the importance of causal chains

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It denies the existence of necessary and sufficient causes

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It requires that causes and effects be temporally separated

Question 22

What is the difference between a necessary cause and a sufficient cause?

Accepted Answer

A necessary cause is necessary but not sufficient, while a sufficient cause is sufficient but not necessary

Answer

A necessary cause is sufficient but not necessary, while a sufficient cause is necessary but not sufficient

Answer

A necessary cause is both necessary and sufficient, while a sufficient cause is neither necessary nor sufficient

Answer

There is no difference between a necessary cause and a sufficient cause

Question 23

The concept of 'causation' is:

Accepted Answer

Central to all scientific inquiry and everyday life

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A purely philosophical concept

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Only relevant in the social sciences

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Irrelevant in the natural sciences

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT a type of causal relationship?

Accepted Answer

Correlational

Answer

Deterministic

Answer

Probabilistic

Answer

Teleological

Question 25

What is the 'causal fallacy'?

Accepted Answer

Assuming that correlation implies causation

Answer

Denying the existence of causation altogether

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Conflating necessary causes with sufficient causes

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Reversing the order of cause and effect

Question 26

What is the 'problem of overdetermination' in the context of causation?

Accepted Answer

The problem of explaining how multiple causes can produce a single effect

Answer

The problem of explaining how a single cause can have multiple effects

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The problem of explaining how causes can be both necessary and sufficient

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The problem of explaining how causal relationships can change over time

Question 27

Which ethical guideline is essential for ensuring the well-being and autonomy of participants in causal research?

Accepted Answer

Obtain informed consent from participants.

Answer

Randomly assign participants to control for confounding variables.

Answer

Manipulate the independent variable to establish causality.

Answer

Withhold controversial research findings from the public.

Question 28

According to the counterfactual theory, an event C is a cause of event E if and only if:

Accepted Answer

If C had not occurred, then E would not have occurred.

Answer

C regularly precedes E.

Answer

C is spatially adjacent to E.

Question 29

Which of the following logical fallacies is an example of a causal fallacy?

Accepted Answer

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

Answer

Circular reasoning

Answer

Denying the antecedent

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Affirming the consequent

Question 30

In the context of probabilistic causation, what does the term 'causal strength' refer to?

Accepted Answer

The probability of an effect occurring given the occurrence of the cause.

Answer

The degree to which the cause is necessary for the effect to occur.

Answer

The number of times the cause has led to the effect.

Question 31

According to the principle of sufficient reason, what is true about every event?

Accepted Answer

It has a cause.

Answer

It is caused by a supernatural being.

Answer

It has multiple causes.

Answer

It is uncaused.

Question 32

Which of the following is an example of a deterministic theory of causation?

Accepted Answer

Laplace's demon

Answer

Emergent causation

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Chaos theory

Answer

Quantum indeterminacy

Question 33

What is a potential benefit of using causal models in scientific research?

Accepted Answer

They can help to identify hidden variables or confounding factors.

Answer

They can always provide definitive proof of causation.

Answer

They can eliminate the need for statistical analysis.

Question 34

David Hume argued that causation is best understood as a matter of constant conjunction, meaning events are consistently observed to occur together. Which of the following philosophers is most closely associated with this idea?

Accepted Answer

David Hume

Answer

John Stuart Mill

Answer

Immanuel Kant

Answer

Aristotle

Question 35

The view that causation involves a necessary connection between events, implying that the cause 'brings about' the effect, is most closely associated with which philosophical perspective?

Accepted Answer

Realism

Answer

Idealism

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Skepticism

Question 36

The idea that causation involves a chain of events, where each event is both a cause and an effect, is known as:

Accepted Answer

The Causal Chain Theory

Answer

The Counterfactual Theory

Answer

The Interventionist Theory

Answer

The Probabilistic Theory

Question 37

In the context of causation, the concept of 'intervention' refers to:

Accepted Answer

Manipulating a variable to observe its effect on another variable, while keeping other factors constant.

Answer

The act of observing events without interfering with their natural course.

Question 38

Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies the concept of 'counterfactual reasoning' as it relates to causation?

Accepted Answer

If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.

Answer

Smoking causes lung cancer.

Answer

The more time you spend exercising, the healthier you will be.

Question 39

The claim that causation is ultimately a matter of probability, where causes increase the likelihood of their effects, aligns with which theory of causation?

Accepted Answer

The Probabilistic Theory

Answer

The Counterfactual Theory

Answer

The Necessary Connection Theory

Answer

The Regularity Theory

Question 40

What is the main difference between 'correlation' and 'causation'?

Accepted Answer

Correlation simply indicates a relationship between events, while causation implies a causal link where one event directly influences another.

Answer

Correlation is a stronger relationship than causation.

Question 41

The concept of 'spurious correlation' refers to:

Accepted Answer

A statistical relationship between two variables that is not due to a causal link but rather a shared common cause.

Answer

A strong causal link between two variables that is difficult to disprove.