The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c10.91

c10.91

The plurality of causes requires a further consideration in the light of the definition of the causal relation. A cause is defined to be the unconditional invariable antecedent. From the unconditionality it follows that the entire sum of conditions, and not one single condition, is, properly speaking, the cause. In view of the plurality of causes, an invariable antecedent must be taken to mean that any particular cause (*i.e.* assemblage of causal conditions) is invariably followed by the effect—not that the effect is invariably preceded by any particular cause.