Abstract
In this paper, I discuss two aspects of top-down causation in George Ellis’s compelling account of this complex concept. I first examine whether mathematical structures can enter into any causal relations, and argue that it is unclear that they can. I highlight instead the role played by the interpretation of mathematical theories in the context of applied mathematics. Second, I consider the role played by top-down causation in measurement, especially in quantum mechanics but also elsewhere, and identify the importance of the observer in this context. I am in large agreement with Ellis’s overall message, but we may understand certain details a bit differently. I articulate the message within a broadly empiricist setting.
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Bueno, O. (2021). Mathematics and Measurement: Causation and the Mind. In: Voosholz, J., Gabriel, M. (eds) Top-Down Causation and Emergence. Synthese Library, vol 439. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71899-2_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71899-2_3
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