Humean Causation

Humean causation, named after philosopher David Hume, suggests that causation is not directly observable as a mysterious force. Instead, we observe that certain events consistently follow others—like lightning often occurring before thunder. From this, we infer a causal connection based on regular patterns, not on any inherent power transmitting from one event to another. In essence, causation is a mental habit of expecting one event to lead to another due to repeated experience, rather than an absolute, observable link. This view emphasizes patterns and human expectation over an intrinsic causal force.