A Why is the concept of cycles overlooked in causation models?

[Twodogs]

The online Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has a lengthy article on Causal Models. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/causal-models/
In this article the word 'cycle' appears twice in non-substantive fashion. Given the prevalence of cycles in many kinds of dynamics, I am curious why it does not receive more attention as a key element in causation. That said, I am not certain I have posted this question in the appropriate forum. Thanks.

 

[anuttarasammyak]

Please give us more details of cycle you said, e.g. what elements form circle ?

 

[jbergman]

The online Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has a lengthy article on Causal Models. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/causal-models/
In this article the word 'cycle' appears twice in non-substantive fashion. Given the prevalence of cycles in many kinds of dynamics, I am curious why it does not receive more attention as a key element in causation. That said, I am not certain I have posted this question in the appropriate forum. Thanks.

This is not the correct forum for this discussion. It belongs in the probability and statistics forum. Also, causal models are not designed to model reversible processes like we typically find in classical mechanics. Instead, you typically want an irreversible process before causality models have much use and in practice they are typically applied in domains where it is impossible to model the complete system.

Also, I am not sure that all causal models disallow cycles. Even in the article I think they say that some formalisms do.

 

[Twodogs]

Yes. Anywhere you look in 'nature' you find cycles of energy & materials driven by some sort of energy gradient. Put a rock in a laminar fluid flow and numerous eddies appear. Planets, pistons, pulse - cyclical dynamics is a numerous class. One expects that a thirty-six page article (that does mention 'acyclic' causality) would offer some discussion of this. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Twodogs]

This is not the correct forum for this discussion. It belongs in the probability and statistics forum. Also, causal models are not designed to model reversible processes like we typically find in classical mechanics. Instead, you typically want an irreversible process before causality models have much use and in practice they are typically applied in domains where it is impossible to model the complete system.

Also, I am not sure that all causal models disallow cycles. Even in the article I think they say that some formalisms do.

Thanks, I posted a reply before seeing your post. I would still like to find out more and will look into reversible processes.