Book description
Addresses questions relative to "downward causation" from the viewpoint of different disciplines.
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Why read it?
1 author picked Downward Causation as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This selection of essays focuses on the important concept of “downward causation” (a designation first employed by Donald T. Campbell), that is, the idea that, in addition to the “upward” causal influence of parts on wholes, which is the focus of stereotypical (bottom-up) reductionist views, wholes also exercise top-down emergent causal influences on their parts.
This has been a vital recurring issue and an identifying principle in most theories of emergence. Campbell and Mark H. Bickhard provide the culminating chapter in this book.
From James' list on The best books about the metaphysics of emergence.
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