Causal Relationships

·Necessary

The cause must be present for the effect to occur

Basically, this means that w must be present for v to occur. If w is a necessary cause of v, then the presence of w necessarily implies the presence of v; however, the reverse is not true by default. A phenomenon of v, however, does not imply that w occurs.

Oxygen must be present for fire; however, the fact a room contains oxygen does not automatically imply that there is also a fire in the room

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·Sufficient

The cause can produce an effect unaided, though there may be more than one sufficient cause for a given effec

If x is a sufficient cause of y, then the presence of x necessarily implies the presence of y. However, another cause z may alternatively cause y. Thus the presence of y does not imply the presence of x.

For example, if it is sunny outside, then it is daytime. It being sunny is a sufficient cause for one to conclude that it is daytime. But just because it is daytime does not necessarily mean it is sunny outside.

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Contributory: The cause helps produce the effect but can not do so by itself

If x is a contributory cause of y, it means the presence of x makes possible the presence of y, but not with the probability of 100%. In other words, a contributory cause may be neither necessary nor sufficient but it must be contributory.

For example, stubbing my toe causes pain. Stubbing my toe is a contributory cause to being in pain because I could be in pain from a headache or sore throat instead.

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Main: The most important

Contributory: Less important

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Immediate: Closely precedes effect

more readily apparent because closely associated in space and time

For example: Contaminated fish is the immediate cause of an eagle's demise.

Remote: Less obvious because it involves something from a distance of space or time

See the causal chain example below. The remote reason had to be addressed for the eagle population to be restored.

Causal Chain: A series of cause-effect relationships; the links in the chain must be clear

For example: The eagle population was affected because pesticides were carried from farm land to streams, contaminated the fish, which were a source of food for the eagles.

Examples:

"Causal Reasoning." iStar Assessment. 2011.

http://www.istarassessment.org/srdims/causal-reasoning-2/

Quinn, Thom. "The QLog." http://qlog.typepad.com/the_qlog/2007/12/necessary-and-s.html

Also, see:

"The Principles of Causality." http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/spirkin/works/dialectical-materialism/ch02-s06.html

After the Cause…

EFFECTS Immediate Short-term Long-term Who is affected? When will effects change? Will effects ever cease?

Immediate Effects What happens immediately after the problem begins? Who is affected immediately? What changes right away? What emotions, feelings, words are evoked? Immediate = anything up to 6 months

Short-term Effects What happens after the main event of the problem occurs? What happens as a consequence that manifests real, perceivable changes? Short-term = 6 months to 2 years

Long-term Effects What lasting effects will the problem have? Most of the time, long-term effects are permanent effects. Long-term effects may not be evident at first, so consider what will happen once people experience the problem repeatedly or over a long period of time. Long-term effects = 3 to 10 or more years.

Who is affected? Think of effects as ripples in water…the targeted group will feel the greatest effects, but think about others… Those who work with the target group and families and friends of both The residents of the area in question – physical, economic, or emotional impact Think about how the problem affects the entire community.

Remember, after the Cause comes the Effect