orsaksbunden

Orsaksbunden is a term used in Swedish to describe phenomena that are causally bound to their causes. The word combines orsaken (the cause) with bunden (bound), signaling a robust, explanatory link between cause and effect.

In philosophy and science, orsaksbundenhet denotes a causal relation in which changing the cause would, in principle, change the outcome, and where a mechanism links the two. It is often discussed in contrast to mere statistical association, which does not by itself establish causality. The concept is central to discussions of causal mechanisms, counterfactual reasoning, and the role of laws or regularities in science.

Applications and usage: In experimental research, scientists aim to demonstrate orsaksbundenhet by manipulating the cause and observing a corresponding change in the effect. In observational studies, researchers seek to infer causality through design and analysis that address confounding and bias.

Examples: Heating water causes it to boil; the heating is centrally responsible for the boiling, illustrating a clear causal bond. Smoking is causally linked to lung cancer in population-level studies, though individual outcomes vary due to multiple factors.

Limitations: Real-world systems are often complex, with multiple interacting causes and feedback loops; not every association is a strong or direct orsaksbunden relation.

See also: Causality, Causal inference, Mechanism, Counterfactual.