4/22: PHIL 105 - Study Notes on Causal Reasoning and Exam Preparation

Course evaluation forms are available. Students are encouraged to fill them out as they are important for the instructor's job applications.
An announcement with a link to the evaluations will be sent to students.

Exams that were not collected previously are available for pickup after class.
Grades for participation and attendance will be inputted into Canvas. The instructor aims to complete this by the end of the day.

Discussion of causal reasoning and its importance in various fields of study.
Core Concepts to Remember: - Sufficient Condition: A condition that guarantees the occurrence of the event (event A is a sufficient condition for event B if A's occurrence guarantees B's occurrence). - Necessary Condition: A condition that must be satisfied for an event to occur (event A is a necessary condition for event B if event B cannot occur without A). - Both Necessary and Sufficient Condition: An event that can cause another event and is needed for the event to occur. - Unrelated Events: Two events that do not influence each other’s occurrence.

For any two events A and B: - A is a sufficient condition for B. - A is a necessary condition for B. - A is both necessary and sufficient for B. - A is not related to B.
When discussing causation in science, it relates to these conditions.

Direct Method of Agreement: Identifies necessary conditions for an event through observed presence of conditions.
Inverse Method of Agreement: Identifies sufficient conditions for an event through observed absence of conditions.

A combination of the direct and inverse methods.
Example:
- If Condition C is necessary for Event E, then whenever E is present, C must also be present. If C is absent, E must also be absent. - Therefore, Condition C is both necessary and sufficient for Event E.
Emphasizes probability in determining the nature of relationships between events.

Consider conditions A (migraine) and B (rain).
Different scenarios can determine if A is a necessary or sufficient condition for B and vice versa.

Identifies the cause of an event by recognizing what is different between scenarios.
Example provided relates to clinics and the occurrence of an event affecting patient outcomes.

Methods are most effective when the correct necessary or sufficient conditions are already understood.
Understanding that being run over by a steamroller is a sufficient condition for dying but not a necessary condition.
Emphasizes the relevance of conditions when identifying necessary versus sufficient conditions.

Inductive arguments do not maintain probability in the same way as deductive arguments (non-monotonicity).
Future evidence can affect the certainty of inductive conclusions.

Upcoming exam: May 4 at 8 AM.
Format: Similar to previous exams with multiple choice and open-ended questions, including truth tables and diagramming arguments.
Exam will cover: - Aristotelian logic - Propositional logic - Causal reasoning - Analogical reasoning
Excluded content refers to fallacies.

A study guide will be posted before Friday.
Review sessions on Friday and the following Monday are planned, with the option for extensive review if students express interest.
Students are encouraged to prepare questions and practice problems for these review sessions.

Homework related to evaluating analog arguments will be assigned, focusing on how changes affect argument strength.
Students can submit questions regarding problem sets and understand specific concepts discussed.