Artur W. Burks’ Conception of the Logic of Causal Propositions

Abstract

In the first part of this paper the author discusses Burks's remarks about his programme how to construe the logic of causal propositions. This part includes also the basic principles of the system of the logic of causality, as it is understood by Burks. The author turns one's attention to various functors of implication which have been introduced by the American author. It has been shown here how by virtue of this non-classical functor one can formalize the causal laws which occur in various sciences.

In the second part of this article the author discusses the key terms of Burks's system. It is mainly focused on the logical functor of necessity and the functor of causal necessity. A thesis has been put forward here along with its justification. Namely, that these functors have not been sufficiently clearly characterized by the American logician. The author pinpoints shortly that there is a possibility to construe a logical system in which a certain type of the functor of causal implication can be characterized without using the functors of logical necessity and causal necessity.