La noción de poder causal. Consecuencias de diferentes teorías modales y causales

Abstract

This work tries to clarify the notion of causal power. It is contended that a causal power should be understood in relation with broader issues in modal and causal metaphysics. Four main alternative theories of causal powers are described: (i) causal powers as subjec-tive projections of our imagination or of our cognitive capabilities to conceive something, (ii) causal powers as the result of the resemblance between different possible worlds, (iii) causal powers as the result of the recombination of entities, independent between them, and (iv) causal powers as primitive entities, not reducible to other –more basic– states of affairs. It is contended that the adoption of one or other of these alternatives has impor-tant consequences in several debates where the notion of causal power has been used.