Localization and Complex Temporal Dynamics

Naftali Weinberger (Tilburg Center For Logic, Ethics, And Philosophy Of Science (TiLPS - Tilburg University), Tilburg University, University of Pittsburgh)

Abstract: In my talk, I consider a strategy for causally modeling complex systems by dividing them up into semi-independent ‘near-decomposable’ subsystems. I illustrate how models of such subsystems in terms of their degree of interaction relate to models of the temporal relations among the subsystems. The discussion sheds light on the usefulness of econometric time-series methods for causal inference and helps clarify the temporal assumptions that are implicit in causal models.