Causation by Concentration

Abstract

This essay is concerned with concentrations of entities, which play an important—albeit often overlooked—role in scientific explanation. First, I discuss an example from molecular biology to show that concentrations can play an irreducible causal role. Second, I provide a preliminary philosophical analysis of this causal role, suggesting some implications for extant theories of causation. I conclude by introducing the concept of causation by concentration, a form of statistical causation whose widespread presence throughout the sciences has been unduly neglected and which deserves to be studied in more depth. 1 Introduction 2 Solving Lillie's Paradox: Lysogenic Induction in Phage λ 3 Repressor Concentration and the Tuning of the Switch 4 Concentration and Causality 5 Preemption in Concentrations: Analysis and Implications 6 Causation by Concentration: General Definition, Refinements, and Further Applications

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