3 ms·
> We can’t have X causing Y causing Z causing X! At least, not without a time machine. You should be able to have cyclic graphs, though. W could cause X which
by javert 13y ago
> We can’t have X causing Y causing Z causing X! At least, not without a time machine.
You should be able to have cyclic graphs, though. W could cause X which causes Y which causes Z which causes more X.
- bigfudge 13y agoPerhaps you just need to include time. Does X_1 causing Y causing Z causing Z_2 solve your problem without requiring cyclic graphs?
- javert 13y agoYes, but then the nodes in the graph become even more disconnected from the concretes in reality that they are supposed to represent. I am actually highly skeptical of the entire notion of the article, but I haven't had time to finish the article yet. My skepticism comes from the fact that causal relationships can be explained by identifying and understanding the causal factors at play and drawing relevant conclusions. For example, smoking causes lung cancer because exposure to toxic chemicals causes genetic mutations. Existing mathematics (such as basic statistics, including correlation) can be used as additional empirical evidence to support such an explanation.