What are causes?

Why I want to causation to be good.

“we may define a cause to be an object precedent and contiguous to another, and where all the objects resembling the former are plac’d in like relations of prudency and contiguity to those objects that resemble the latter”

precedes - before in time - this makes sense, time we believe to be linear, and something that happens in the future can not change what happens in the past.

Contiguous - sharing a common border, or touching, so next to each other - not necessary to be true - maybe connection is a better word - best described when we know the effect.

If the same cause has the same effect, then we can know the effect from one instance, not from multiple?
(SLAM DESK)

The problem is that there infinitesimal difference in every cause, which will alter the effect - this accounts for small differences, but a general overview.

This makes us generalise incidents with our language, and is the source of doubt. does not take away that there are causes and effects

“after a frequent repetition, I find, that upon the appearance of one of the objects, the mind if determin’d by custom to consider its usual attendant, and to consider it in a stronger light upon account of its relation to the first object. ‘Tis this impression, then, of determination, which affords me the idea of necessity.”

repetition makes patterns - patterns make order - good for our mind to keep track -

Cause and effect starts in the mind - makes sense
We project our mental imagery on to the world in to nature

I see this as a positive for cause and effect

Hume talks about the mind as if wasn’t it a part of nature
If we consider the mind to be part of nature, then cause and effect

If we cut open my head - there is tissue

If we do tests, we can see the mind is a working thing

Mind is a unique insight into nature - tapping into the essence of nature

Mind is

We see creation and destruction, cause and effect, there must be a start