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Causality

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Foundations for Functional Modeling of Technical Artefacts

Part of the book series: Design Research Foundations ((DERF))

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Abstract

Causality and the concept of function are closely related and theories of causality are therefore important for the foundations of functional modelling. However, a generally accepted theory of causality is not available.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The efficient cause and final cause refers to Aristotle’s distinction between four causes; the material, efficient, formal and final causes. These distinctions are used by Collingwood but are today considered of historical interest only.

  2. 2.

    Gasking [30] claims that recipes can cause something. But recipes or procedures are more like the manner in which some means are used in action. The distinction between the means and manner of acting are discussed in Chap. 10.

  3. 3.

    The causal aspect of the means-end relations is accordingly of the general and not of the singular type.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

    Morten Lind

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  1. Morten Lind
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Lind, M. (2024). Causality. In: Foundations for Functional Modeling of Technical Artefacts. Design Research Foundations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-45918-4_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-45918-4_6

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