This paper purports to expound a special(technical)notion of paths.A neglected fundamental fact(especially under indeterminism)is that the path-dependent direction of any diachronic outcome is backward,i.e.,later step...This paper purports to expound a special(technical)notion of paths.A neglected fundamental fact(especially under indeterminism)is that the path-dependent direction of any diachronic outcome is backward,i.e.,later steps depend on earlier ones successively,despite the ineradicable chance in their respective formation.In this paper,a token-oriented retrospective approach is proposed to overcome the limitation of the type-oriented approach in explaining path-related phenomena.My argument for the validity and utility of this approach is largely based on the elements of(PD),a definitional schema for diachronic sequences subject to a recursive counterfactual formula.I explore certain aspects of path individuation that have so far not been discussed,despite(PD)’s formal congeniality with Lewis’s‘causal chain’.Two basic patterns of path generation are examined:the first is for distinguishing actual vs possible branching paths,while the second introduces a metaphysical theme regarding the retrospective grounding of the causal status of an upstream event by its downstream(joint)effect.A central example of the paper,viz.,the Gobang game,is used to illustrate how the token-oriented approach works for path individuation.展开更多
文摘This paper purports to expound a special(technical)notion of paths.A neglected fundamental fact(especially under indeterminism)is that the path-dependent direction of any diachronic outcome is backward,i.e.,later steps depend on earlier ones successively,despite the ineradicable chance in their respective formation.In this paper,a token-oriented retrospective approach is proposed to overcome the limitation of the type-oriented approach in explaining path-related phenomena.My argument for the validity and utility of this approach is largely based on the elements of(PD),a definitional schema for diachronic sequences subject to a recursive counterfactual formula.I explore certain aspects of path individuation that have so far not been discussed,despite(PD)’s formal congeniality with Lewis’s‘causal chain’.Two basic patterns of path generation are examined:the first is for distinguishing actual vs possible branching paths,while the second introduces a metaphysical theme regarding the retrospective grounding of the causal status of an upstream event by its downstream(joint)effect.A central example of the paper,viz.,the Gobang game,is used to illustrate how the token-oriented approach works for path individuation.
