ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we develop a general theory of causal enquiry, Evidential Pluralism. We state the two main theses. The first, object pluralism, holds that establishing causation requires establishing both correlation and mechanism. The second, study pluralism, holds that assessing causation requires assessing both association studies and mechanistic studies. We explain the relevant terminology in order to avoid potential misconceptions. We also provide motivation for the theory, explaining why Evidential Pluralism is plausible. We sketch its previous application to the biomedical sciences and clarify the ways in which Evidential Pluralism can be used. While Evidential Pluralism is an epistemological theory—concerned with how to establish and assess causal claims—we outline one particular philosophical theory of the nature of causality that coheres well with Evidential Pluralism.
