因果(causality)与因果推断(causal-inference)是科学研究的核心问题,例如爱因斯坦认为:“西方科学是建立在以因果律为基础的形式逻辑之上”。虽然不同学科之间因果定义的内涵基本一致,但是他们的外延却大相径庭,其因果推断的理论与方法更是各具特色。其中,区别最大的是自然科学与 Causality and causal inference are central to scientific research. For example, Einstein argues that “Western science is based on the formal logic based on causation.” Although the connotations of causality between different disciplines are basically the same, their extension is very different, and their theories and methods of causal inference are more distinctive. Among them, the biggest difference is the natural sciences and