Proximate and ultimate causation

Not to be confused with First uncaused cause or First cause argument.

A proximate cause is an event which is closer to (more immediately responsible for) causing some observed result. This exists in contrast to a higher-level ultimate (or distal) cause, which acts less directly through the proximate cause. In formal causal inference, the proximate cause is called a mediator.

  • Example: Why did the ship sink?
    • Proximate cause: Because it was holed beneath the waterline, water entered the hull and the ship became denser than the water which supported it, so it could not stay afloat.
    • Ultimate cause: Because the ship hit a rock which tore open the hole in the ship's hull.

In most situations, an ultimate cause may itself be a proximate cause in comparison to a further ultimate cause. Hence we can continue the above example as follows:

  • Example: Why did the ship hit the rock?
    • Proximate cause: Because the ship failed to change course to avoid it.
    • Ultimate cause: Because the ship was under autopilot and the autopilot's data was inaccurate.
    • (even stronger): Because the shipwrights made mistakes in the ship's construction.
    • (stronger yet): Because the scheduling of labor at the shipyard allows for very little rest.
    • (in absurdum): Because the shipyard's owners have very small profit margins in an ever-shrinking market.
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