Causation

About the lecture

In this module, we introduce causation, focusing in particular on (i) the significance of causation for liability (ii) the but-for test for factual causation (iii) problems with the but-for test (iii) responses to the but-for test challenge (iv) further challenges to the but-for test (v) the distinction between factual and legal causation (vi) breaking the causal chain (vii) voluntary acts breaking the causal chain (vii) the significance of voluntary acts breaking the causal chain in the case of R v Kennedy (2007) (viii) difficulties in determining breaks in the chain of causation as illustrated in the case of R v Wallace (2018).

About the lecturer

Professor Victor Tadros is a lecturer in the School of Law at the University of Warwick. His research interests are in the philosophy of criminal law, terrorism law, the criminal trials and punishment. He is currently researching just war theory, and issues in moral and political philosophy. His books include Criminal Responsibility (2005), The Trial on Trial (with Antony Duff, Lindsay Farmer and Sandra Marshall) (2007) The Ends of Harm: The Moral Foundations of Criminal Law (2011), Wrongs and Crimes (2016) and To Do, To Die, To Reason Why (2020).