Downward Causation

Causal processes occur in either downward or upward causation. In downward causation, changes in an aspect of a process cause changes in another aspect of the same process. Further, these changes in an aspect of a whole cannot be predicted by another aspect of the whole (Gambini & Pullin, 2016). The downward causation is also referred to as top-down causation. Examples of downward causation are evident in the universe.

Examples of downward causation are evident in nature. One example is the formation of rainbows. It is known that rainbows form on days when the weather consists of rainfall and sunlight; however, the formation of rainbows involves a downward causation process. For the formation of rainbows, sun rays must pass through the raindrops; this light from the sun is then refracted, resulting in the formation of rainbows. This illustrates that the first change in weather conditions is the presence of rainfall and sunlight, causing the passing of light through raindrops, resulting in another change, rainbow formation.

Examples are evident in health. For instance, a calm individual tends to have a deep sleep; however, when an individual goes through a stressful situation, sleep issues develop, resulting in insomnia, which contributes to the development of diseases. Subsequently, a change in the aura and mental state due to various factors results in a change in the sleep patterns in individuals. The consequences might be mild, such as trouble sleeping, or severe, such as insomnia and night paralysis. However, these results cannot be predicted initially.

In my case, under normal circumstances, my body’s functionality is in a healthy state. However, my digestive system is affected under stress, resulting in digestive issues such as indigestion and gas. Thus, a change in my mental state results in a change in my physical body.

References

Gambini, R., & Pullin, J. (2016). Event ontology in quantum mechanics and downward causation. http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/12231/1/eventontology.pdf.

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Downward Causation

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