Cause
Causality (also referred to as causation, or cause and effect) is the natural or worldly agency or efficacy that connects one process (the cause) with another process or state (the effect), where the first is partly responsible for the second, and the second is partly dependent on the first. In general, a process has many causes, which are said to be causal factors for it, and all lie in its past. An effect can in turn be a cause of, or causal factor for, many other effects, which all lie in its future. Causality is metaphysically prior to notions of time and space.
Causality is an abstraction that indicates how the world progresses, so basic a concept that it is more apt as an explanation of other concepts of progression than as something to be explained by others more basic. The concept is like those of agency and efficacy. For this reason, a leap of intuition may be needed to grasp it. Accordingly, causality is implicit in the logic and structure of ordinary language.
In Aristotelian philosophy, the word ’cause’ is also used to mean ‘explanation’ or ‘answer to a why question’, including Aristotle’s material, formal, efficient, and final “causes”; then the “cause” is the explanans for the explanandum. In this case, failure to recognize that different kinds of “cause” are being considered can lead to futile debate. Of Aristotle’s four explanatory modes, the one nearest to the concerns of the present article is the “efficient” one.
The topic remains a staple in contemporary philosophy.
Course (noun)
A sequence of events.
“The normal course of events seems to be just one damned thing after another.”
Course (noun)
A normal or customary sequence.
Course (noun)
A programme, a chosen manner of proceeding.
Course (noun)
Any ordered process or sequence or steps.
Course (noun)
A learning program, as in a school.
“I need to take a French course.”
Course (noun)
A treatment plan.
Course (noun)
A stage of a meal.
“We offer seafood as the first course.”
Course (noun)
The succession of one to another in office or duty; order; turn.
“We offer seafood as the first course.”
Course (noun)
A path that something or someone moves along.
“His illness ran its course.”
Course (noun)
The succession of one to another in office or duty; order; turn.
Course (noun)
The itinerary of a race.
“The cross-country course passes the canal.”
Course (noun)
A racecourse.
Course (noun)
The path taken by a flow of water; a watercourse.
Course (noun)
The trajectory of a ball, frisbee etc.
Course (noun)
A golf course.
Course (noun)
The direction of movement of a vessel at any given moment.
“The ship changed its course 15 degrees towards south.”
Course (noun)
The lowest square sail in a fully rigged mast, often named according to the mast.
“Main course and mainsail are the same thing in a sailing ship.”
Course (noun)
Menses.
Course (noun)
A row or file of objects.
Course (noun)
The intended passage of voyage, such as a boat, ship, airplane, spaceship, etc.
“A course was plotted to traverse the ocean.”
Course (noun)
A row of bricks or blocks.
“On a building that size, two crews could only lay two courses in a day.”
Course (noun)
A row of material that forms the roofing, waterproofing or flashing system.
Course (noun)
A string on a lute.
Course (noun)
A pair of strings played together in some musical instruments, like the vihuela.
Course (verb)
To run or flow (especially of liquids and more particularly blood).
“The oil coursed through the engine.”
“Blood pumped around the human body courses throughout all its veins and arteries.”
Course (verb)
To run through or over.
Course (verb)
To pursue by tracking or estimating the course taken by one’s prey; to follow or chase after.
Course (verb)
To cause to chase after or pursue game.
“to course greyhounds after deer”
Course (adverb)
alternative form of of course
Cause (noun)
The source of, or reason for, an event or action; that which produces or effects a result.
“They identified a burst pipe as the cause of the flooding.”
Cause (noun)
Sufficient reason for a state, as of emotion.
“There is no cause for alarm.”
“”The end of the war was a cause for celebration.”
Cause (noun)
A goal, aim or principle, especially one which transcends purely selfish ends.
Cause (noun)
Sake; interest; advantage.
Cause (noun)
Any subject of discussion or debate; a matter; an affair.
Cause (noun)
A suit or action in court; any legal process by which a party endeavors to obtain his claim, or what he regards as his right; case; ground of action.
Cause (verb)
To set off an event or action.
“The lightning caused thunder.”
Cause (verb)
To actively produce as a result, by means of force or authority.
“His dogged determination caused the fundraising to be successful.”
Cause (verb)
To assign or show cause; to give a reason; to make excuse.