An epiphenomenon (plural: epiphenomena) is a secondary phenomenon that occurs alongside or in parallel to a primary phenomenon. The word has two senses: one that connotes known causation and one that connotes absence of causation or reservation of judgment about it. Examples Metaphysics The problem of epiphenomena is often a counterexample to theories of causation and is identified with situations in which an event E is caused by (or, is said to be caused by) an event C, which also causes (or, is said to cause) an event F. For example, take a simplified Lewisian counterfactual analysis of causation that the meaning of propositions about causal relationships between two events A and B can be explained in terms of counterfactual conditionals of the form "if A had not occurred then B would not have occurred". Suppose that C causes E and that C has an epiphenomenon F. We then have that if E had not occurred, then F would not have occurred, either. But then according
Un epiphenomenon (plural: epiphenomena) es un fenómeno secundario que ocurre junto o en paralelo a un fenómeno primario. La palabra tiene dos sentidos: uno que conota la causalidad conocida y uno que conota la ausencia de causalidad o reserva de juicio sobre ella. Ejemplos Metafísica El problema de epiphenomena es a menudo un contraejemplo a las teorías de causalidad y se identifica con situaciones en las que un evento E es causado por (o, se dice que es causado por) un evento C, que también causa (o, se dice que es causal) un evento F. Por ejemplo, tome un análisis metafísico lewisista simplificado de la causalidad que el significado de las proposiciones sobre relaciones causales entre dos eventos A y B se puede explicar en términos de condicionalidades de la forma "si A no hubiera ocurrido, entonces B no hubiera ocurrido".