Anxiety and Causality

TheMadFool

It's said that for any A to be ever considered a candidate as a cause of any B, whatever A and B may be, it is necessary that A temporally precede B. Conversely, if A is found to temporally succeed i.e. follow at a later time than B then it's said that A can't ever be the cause of B. I've been taking this rule stated in the preceding sentences as an essential element of any and all causal arguments as everyone else has I presume.

I remember @Banno starting a thread on effects preceding causes but since I, like everyone else it seems, endorsed the view that effects can't precede causes I considered that to be an impossibility.

However, what about anxiety, especially anxiety that is future-oriented. I remember quite clearly being anxious, very anxious indeed, about impending exams. In other words I was experiencing the effect (anxiety) of a cause (exam) that was not in the past but actually in the future. This is, to me, an instance of an effect preceding a cause. I'm sure this is a relatable experience since all of us have, at some point in our lives, experienced anxiety about a future event (a public speech, a marriage proposal, an exam, an interview, etc.)

Now consider that whatever future-event that caused you anxiety gets canceled or doesn't get actualized. We now have an effect (anxiety) without a cause.

Comments...

Banno

I remember Banno starting a thread on effects preceding causes — TheMadFool

~~Not I.~~

Oh, it was me. Here.

TheMadFool

Oh, it was me. Here. — Banno

I don't remember what I said back then. What do you think about this, the future-oriented anxiety causal conundrum?

Banno

↪TheMadFool

Causes are a form of justification. Just about anything goes.

So, yep - why not?

bert1

We now have a cause (anxiety) without an effect. — TheMadFool

I don't think you meant it that way round.

TheMadFool

I don't think you meant it that way round. — bert1

Why do you think that way?

Never had an exam cancelled on you?

bert1

Sorry, maybe I've misunderstood. If the exam is the cause and the anxiety is the effect, then the exam is cancelled, then we have an effect without a cause, rather than a cause without an effect.

TheMadFool

Sorry, maybe I've misunderstood. If the exam is the cause and the anxiety is the effect, then the exam is cancelled, then we have an effect without a cause, rather than a cause without an effect. — bert1

Thank you very much for pointing out my error. It's quite difficult, for me at least, when dealing with matters unusual, especially when things are reversed. It's like when you want to win and find out you're losing and it's all downhill from there. Thanks again. :smile:

Metaphysician Undercover

However, what about anxiety, especially anxiety that is future-oriented. I remember quite clearly being anxious, very anxious indeed, about impending exams. In other words I was experiencing the effect (anxiety) of a cause (exam) that was not in the past but actually in the future. This is, to me, an instance of an effect preceding a cause. I'm sure this is a relatable experience since all of us have, at some point in our lives, experienced anxiety about a future event (a public speech, a marriage proposal, an exam, an interview, etc.) — TheMadFool

That you interpret this situation as an effect prior to its cause is an indication that you misinterpret the situation. The anxiety is not caused by the future exam. The presumed exam is in the future and does not even exist yet, so it cannot be a cause of anything. The anxiety seems to be caused by your apprehension of the impending situation.

TheMadFool

That you interpret this situation as an effect prior to its cause is an indication that you misinterpret the situation. The anxiety is not caused by the future exam. The presumed exam is in the future and does not even exist yet, so it cannot be a cause of anything. The anxiety seems to be caused by your apprehension of the impending situation. — Metaphysician Undercover

I sincerely hope it's a misinterpretation.

Anxiety and Causality

Welcome to The Philosophy Forum!

Categories

More Discussions