ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the topic of causality with an emphasis on the dynamical approach; it is more exploratory and research-oriented than the rest of the book. It begins with a general introduction of the topic (Section 9.1), going from philosophical to statistical aspects. Section 9.1.3 gives a gentle introduction of the dynamic approach to causality which may allow readers who are not so much interested in the mathematical and philosophical aspects to skip Sections 9.2 and 9.3. Section 9.2 presents the mathematical definition of influence between stochastic processes. Section 9.3 attempts to ground causality on physical laws and using the concept of system. Section 9.4 is an application of these concepts to ageing studies. In Section 9.5 the link is made with mechanistic models. Finally, Section 9.6 tackles the problem of dynamic treatment regime.
