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Articles

A Puzzle About Causation

by Stephen Mumford

Imagine a game show between two teams of four players. When a member of the team knows an answer they press a button and the team light comes on. Each team member has their own button and just one of them has to press for the light to come on. Two, three or four team members may know the answer and press their buttons. Who caused the light to light-up? Surely the one who pressed first, even if their teammate( s) would have lit the light had they failed to do so.

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