Causality and Infinity

Causality entails infinity. For every effect to have a cause, there must be an infinite number of causes. A first cause, as in a finite progression, breaks the rule by not having a prior cause or not simultaneously being an effect.

Yet, an infinite number of causes and effects raises the question of how such a dependency arose in the first place, especially if there is no first place. The assumption one makes in postulating an infinite progression of any kind is that progression is possible without some form of origination. However, this runs counter to experience.

For example, we know from experience that inertia holds true in all cases. We would not expect a bullet to stop in mid-air, a house to float, or a ball to increase the height of its bounce. These things do not happen because nature is not made in such a way that they can. More properly, we have not found a single case in which nature violates the property of inertia.

Infinity and Experience

How can we reconcile the postulation of an infinite progression with our experience of only finite progressions, each of which began from an initial point in time? Or, have we, conversely, experienced only infinite progressions, since any designation of origin must be an arbitrary break in an otherwise infinite continuum of perceptually dissimilar causes and effects?

When a bullet is shot out of a gun, we might claim that the gun’s force was the first cause in a chain of ensuing causes and effects, like striking a target, getting stuck inside, and causing damage. Yet, this designation seems to be altogether arbitrary, since we could just as well claim that the first cause was the hand that fired the gun, the person who picked it up, the salesperson who sold it to the owner, or even the person or machine responsible for making it. The chain of causality never seems to end.

A Plea for Help

I don’t have an answer. To recap, while it seems that causality entails infinity, it seems equally necessary for causality to entail a finite progression. I welcome insights from interested readers.