agent-causation theory

philosophy

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

Agent-causation theory is a philosophical concept that posits that free actions are caused by agents themselves, rather than by prior events or states of affairs. This contrasts with traditional views of causation, where an event is caused by another event.123

In this theory, the agent, a substance or entity, is the direct cause of an action. This is distinct from the cause-effect relation, which describes events causing other events. Proponents argue that this allows for genuine free will, as the agent is the ultimate origin of the action. However, critics question how this agent-causation works and suggest it leaves a gap in explanation, as it's not reducible to more basic concepts.21

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

free will and moral responsibility
Libertarianism
…libertarian accounts were the so-called “agent-causation” theories. First proposed by the American philosopher Roderick Chisholm (1916–99) in his seminal paper “Human Freedom and the Self” (1964), these theories hold that free actions are caused by agents themselves rather than by some prior event or state of affairs. Although Chisholm’s theory…
Read More
…libertarian accounts were the so-called “agent-causation” theories. First proposed by the American philosopher Roderick Chisholm (1916–99) in his seminal paper “Human Freedom and the Self” (1964), these theories hold that free actions are caused by agents themselves rather than by some prior event or state of affairs. Although Chisholm’s theory…
Read More