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The Temporal Asymmetry of Influence Is Not Statistical.

I argue that the temporal asymmetry of influence is not merely the result of thermodynamics: it is a consequence of the fact that the modal structure of the universe must admit only processes that cannot give rise to contradictions. I appeal to the process matrix formalism developed in the field of...

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Published in:Philosophy of Science Vol. 90; no. 4; pp. 855 - 880
Main Author: Adlam, Emily
Format: Article
Published: Cambridge University Press Oct2023
Subjects:
Free will & determinism
Prices
Contradiction
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Oct2023
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        atl: The Temporal Asymmetry of Influence Is Not Statistical.
      aug:
        au: Adlam, Emily
        affil:
          The Rotman Institute of Philosophy, Western University, London, ON, Canada
          Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA
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        Free will & determinism
        Prices
        Contradiction
      sug:
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          Free will & determinism
          Prices
          Contradiction
      ab: I argue that the temporal asymmetry of influence is not merely the result of thermodynamics: it is a consequence of the fact that the modal structure of the universe must admit only processes that cannot give rise to contradictions. I appeal to the process matrix formalism developed in the field of quantum foundations to characterize processes that are compatible with local free will while ruling out contradictions, and I argue that this gives rise to "consistent-chaining" requirements that explain the temporal asymmetry of influence. I compare this view to the perspectival account of causation advocated by Price and Ramsey.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
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      src: R
    language: English
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