On the Minimization Principle in the Boolean Approach to Causal Discovery

Jiji ZHANG

Research output: Book Chapters | Papers in Conference ProceedingsConference paper (invited)

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

I examine the role of minimization in the Boolean approach to causal discovery, focusing on a recent development of the approach, implemented in a method called Coincidence Analysis (CNA). I present some prima facie counterexamples to the soundness of the minimization steps in CNA, or to the validity of a minimization principle that is naturally suggested by the minimization steps. I discuss two possible responses to the challenge, and argue that while one (but not the other) of them is viable, it renders the role of minimization steps inessential in an important sense. I end by suggesting that the trouble with the minimization principle arises out of locally uninstantiated regularities that regularity theorists have no reason to dismiss.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPhilosophical logic : current trends in Asia : Proceedings of AWPL-TPLC 2016
EditorsSyraya Chin-Mu YANG, Kok Yong LEE, Hiroakira ONO
PublisherSpringer
Pages79-94
Number of pages16
ISBN (Print)9789811063541
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017
EventThe 3rd Asian Workshop on Philosophical Logic (AWPL-2016) - National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China
Duration: 8 Oct 20168 Oct 2016

Publication series

NameLogic in Asia: Studia Logica Library
PublisherSpringer Singapore
ISSN (Print)2364-4613

Conference

ConferenceThe 3rd Asian Workshop on Philosophical Logic (AWPL-2016)
Country/TerritoryTaiwan, Province of China
CityTaipei
Period8/10/168/10/16

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Funding

This research was supported in part by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong under the General Research Fund LU13600715, and by a Faculty Research Grant from Lingnan University.

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