Agent Causation Done Right

Abstract

This chapter defends the claim that the most metaphysically basic causal locutions are of the form “X caused Y to Z by Ving,” where terms for things (not events) go in for “X” and “Y.” Claims of this form are called agent-causal claims, since if X caused Y to Z by Ving, then in Ving X did something, so X was an agent. Agent-causal claims are more basic than event-causal claims, claims of the form “C caused E” where terms for events go in for “C” and “E.” Among the arguments given that agent-causal claims are more basic is the argument that if agent-causal claims are more basic then there is an explanation of why events but not states can be causes.