Occasionalism is a theory that explains the interaction between the body and mind, with the belief that without an initiating force, the interaction would not occur. Theological approaches suggest that God is the source of all actions, but opponents argue that it denies free will. The theory also allows for unknown or self-imposed laws to govern the initiating force, and occasional causation can introduce a third element of causality.
Occasionalism is a concept that attempts to relate the idea of causality to the relationship between the body and the mind. When approached from a theological point of view, occasionality has to do with the interaction between the physical body and the spirit, which is meant to inhabit the body. Occasionalism assumes that without some kind of force initiating the interaction between the body and mind, the interaction would never have taken place and the resulting actions would never have come true.
As a philosophical and theological theory, occasionalism has been around since at least the 9th century AD. While every approach agrees that some type of force initiates the initial engagement of mind and body, various schools of thought branch off from this common point. For some, not only is the initial force causing the interaction known as God, but all subsequent actions that result from that union of mind and body are also caused by God.
For the occasionalist who approaches the theory from a theological point of view, God’s actions become the source of all results. Thus, if fire is placed in close proximity to the card, the card is burned by God, not by fire. This means that all actions are within God’s perfect will, as Divinity is the source of every action or cause. Opponents of occasionalism tend to note that this approach to mind-body interaction denies the principle of free will or agency, which assumes that among God’s gifts to mankind is the privilege of making individual choices and being responsible of results.
Within the broad scope of occasionalism, the initiating force is in no way inhibited by humanity. However, the force can be governed by laws unknown to humanity or by laws self-imposed by the force itself. There is also an associated theory known as occasional causation, which even allows for a third element of causality to enter the mix, thus further distancing cause and effect as understood by many people in the modern world.
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