Causation, electronic configurations and the periodic table

The article examines a recent interventionist account of causation by Ross, in which electronic configurations of atoms are considered to be the cause of chemical behavior. More specifically I respond to the claim that a change in electronic configuration of an atom, such as occurs in the artificial synthesis of elements, causes a change in the behavior of the atom in question. I argue that chemical behavior is governed as much by the nuclear charge of an atom as it is by its electronic structure. It is suggested that an adequate analysis requires attention to the dynamical interactions between nuclear charges and those of electrons, as typically carried out through the application of the Schrodinger equation. It is concluded that electronic configurations can only be said be causal in a weak sense that is somewhat analogous to the causal arguments that are invoked in folk physics.

Automated summary

The article examines Ross's recent interventionist view of causation, considering electronic configurations of atoms as causes of chemical behavior. It argues that both nuclear charge and electronic structure play a role in chemical behavior, emphasizing the importance of dynamic interactions between nuclear charges and electrons. It concludes that electronic configurations can only be considered causal in a weak sense, similar to causal arguments in folk physics.