causal-powers-account
/ˈkɔː.zəl ˈpaʊ.əz əˈkaʊnt/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A theory or explanation that says something happens because of the powers or abilities a thing has. It is often used in philosophy and academic writing.
- Her paper supports a causal-powers account of action.
- This view uses a causal-powers account of change.
- The author rejects a simple event-based account.
Adinary Nuance
A causal-powers account is not the same as a general explanation or a simple causal story. It focuses on the powers, capacities, or abilities inside a thing that help produce an effect. Writers choose it when they want a more precise, philosophical term than "explanation" or "cause."
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thuyết năng lực nhân quả
- Spanish
- explicación de poderes causales
- Chinese
- 因果能力观点
- Japanese
- 因果的能力の説明
- Korean
- 인과적 능력 설명
Etymology
This is a modern academic phrase built from English words: causal, powers, and account. It became common in philosophy and other scholarly writing in the late 20th century.
Common phrases
a causal-powers account ofsupport a causal-powers accountreject a causal-powers account
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is causal-powers account a common everyday phrase?
- No. It is mainly used in philosophy and academic writing.
- Can I use causal-powers account instead of explanation?
- Not usually. It is more specific and sounds technical.
- What does causal-powers mean here?
- It means the power or ability that helps bring about an effect.