The Causal Revolutionary — 3:16

Judea Pearl interviewed by Richard Marshall.

‘ The equations of physics are algebraic and symmetrical, whereas causal relationships are directional. To mathematize causal statements we need a new calculus that (1) reflects this asymmetry and, at the same time, (2) accounts for the symmetries we see in correlated observations.’

‘ The smoking-cancer debate may have contributed to the revolution by demonstrating painfully how badly a language for causation is needed. But the first concrete step toward the revolution (not counting Wright) was taken by…