Causation is necessary: a definite cause necessarily produces its effect, and without a definite cause no effect is possible.

By Baruch Spinoza, from Ethics

Key Arguments

  • He asserts both the forward necessity (given cause → necessary effect) and the contrapositive exclusion (no cause → no effect).

Source Quotes

III. From a given definite cause an effect necessarily follows; and, on the other hand, if no definite cause be granted, it is impossible that an effect can follow. IV.

Key Concepts

  • From a given definite cause an effect necessarily follows; and, on the other hand, if no definite cause be granted, it is impossible that an effect can follow.

Context

Ethics, Part I, Axioms (lines 26–32); foundational causal principle for the deterministic system developed in Part I.