Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Bell-type Correlations: the Hidden Causal Picture Re-assessed
Soazig LeBihan, Illinois Institute of Technology
12:05 pm, 817R Cathedral of Learning

Abstract: Bell-type phenomena are characterized by striking correlations between spatially separated outcome events.  We typically take correlations at the phenomenal level to be indicative of an underlying causal structure.  Bell-type correlations are no exception. The received view is that failure of parameter independence is indicative of an underlying causal relationship but failure of outcome independence is not. The problem with the received view is that it does not explicitly articulate a notion of causation that can support that view. Now, there are currently at least three viable theories of causation. I will argue that the causal structure of Bell-type phenomena varies according to which theory of causation one considers. None of the theories of causation considered support the received view.