Overview Potentialism Examples Conclusion Footnotes Bibliography
Events are actualizations of possibilities. Degrees of realization describe this process of actualization. In its general form this cosmology does not answer the question what these possibilities exactly are. It is possible to combine this theory with the idea that the cosmos consists of space inhabited by mass particles. The fall of an apple is then a realizing possibility. The only influence realizing possibilities can have on each other is inhibitory or suppressive. Pushing down one side of a seesaw lifts up the other side. The degrees of realization of both events are connected causally. Actualizing one possibility, i.e. increasing its degree of realization, rolls back the degree of realization of the other possibility.
This view of causality explains the existence of random events. The flat surface of a table together with the shape of a coin creates two mutually exclusive possibilities. Moreover, the inhibitory influence creates weights for realization or propensities. 1 The propensities can be calculated from the total and mutual inhibition of the two possibilities.
Inhibition is not always complete. There are degrees of inhibition. An example will be discussed below. Here, the question is whether there is a suitable measure for these degrees of inhibition. The relative probability p(a, b), the probability of a with regard to b, is a suitable measure. In this interpretation 'p(a, b) = 1' does not say that b is the cause of the effect a. It says that a is not at all inhibited by b. On the other hand, 'p(a, b) = 0' says that a is completely inhibited by b. Measures of inhibition between 0 and 1 reflect partial inhibition. This interpretation of the relative probability calculus will be elaborated upon below with the discussion of examples. 2
To conclude, the relative probability rises with decreasing inhibition and, vice versa, it decreases with rising inhibition. This section gave just a brief exposition of the theory.
Overview Potentialism Examples Conclusion Footnotes Bibliography