Physical and Metaphysical Counterfactuals
Abstract
In a previous publication I showed that counterfactuals grounded in decision making can be given interpretation in terms "imaging" - a process of "mass-shifting" among possible worlds. This paper elaborates on this interpretation and shows the converse: imaging can be given an interpretation in terms of a stochastic decision policy in which agents choose actions with certain probabilities. This mapping, from the metaphysical to the physical, should be helpful in assessing whether metaphysically-inspired extensions of current interventional theories are warranted in a given decision making situation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA522015
Entities
People
- Judea Pearl
Organizations
- University of California, Los Angeles