Hi all,
Our next meeting will be *Wednesday March 4*, where Professor James Robins
will present research on* “**Causal Mediation Analysis and The Philosophy
of Causation**”.*
*Abstract:* I introduce an interventionist view of mediation analysis
that, unlike standard non-interventionist mediation analysis of Pearl and
Vanderweele, (i) does not assume that the mediator has well defined causal
effects and/or counterfactuals , (ii) preserves the dictum “ no causation
without manipulation” (iii) renders questions of mediation scientific,
because eventually testable, (iv) replaces the current complex definitions
of path specific effects as nested counterfactuals with easily understood
definitions in terms of concrete experimental interventions, (v)
facilitates communication with subject matter experts (vi) makes concrete
the concept of a “recanting witness” and makes testable the hypothesis that
a particular variable is a ‘recanting witness’, (vii) when identified from
data, the identifying formulae under an interventionist view and the
non-interventionist view are identical; however the effect being identified
differs. This talk is based on a joint paper with Ilya Shpitser and Thomas
Richardson that generalizes an earlier paper by myself and Thomas
Richardson.
*Where:* CGIS Knafel Building, Room K354 (see this link
<https://map.harvard.edu/?bld=04471&level=9> for directions).
*When: *Wednesday, March 4 at 12noon - 1:30pm.
All are welcome and lunch will be provided.
Best,
Georgie
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