Causation and Induction1

The connection between views about causation and attempts to justify inductive reasoning is sufficiently close that some philosophers² have taken success at the latter as a litmus test for the truth of the former. I do not agree with this approach. Like Hume, I believe that the nature of causal connections must be understood prior to, and independently of, solutions to the problem of induction. Like Hume, I also hold that the problem of induction cannot be solved if Hume's analysis of causal connections is correct. But unlike Hume, I believe that that analysis is incorrect. However, I shall not attempt to establish this crucial thesis here. I mention it because this paper presupposes it. Hume's difficulty about causation must—and can—be faced head-on. There are phenomenological grounds for affirming that we sometimes directly experience nonlogical, necessary connections between events. I shall only briefly summarize these grounds, which will be argued for in detail elsewhere. The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which a necessitarian theory of causation can bring the problem of induction closer to solution.     

Counseling Child Sexual Abuse Victims: Myths and Realities

The goal of the authors is to (a) create an awareness among counselors about the nature and prevalence of child sexual abuse, (b) examine myths and realities about the topic, and (c) present recommendations for interviewing suspected victims of child sexual abuse.     

Two and One-Half Decades of Leadership in Measurement and Evaluation

This article explores the role of professional organizations, such as the American Association for Counseling and Development's (AACD) Association for Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development (AMECD) division, and the possible futures of such groups. It is suggested that AMECD and similar groups are experiencing a similar set of social and professional pressures. Aspects of the missions of creating and disseminating measurement and evaluation expertise are discussed. It is suggested that the explosion in knowledge has created new tensions involving special challenges for members of AMECD and related groups. Nevertheless, some remarkable recent accomplishments can be readily identified, and are noted here.     

Ethical Principles and Standards: A Racial-Ethnic Minority Research Perspective

This article directs attention to philosophical changes that if implemented would make Ethical Principles and Standards more responsive and relevant to the pragmatic research needs of minorities.     

Implications of Concurrent Measures of Viewer Behavior

Carter's “signaled stopping” technique is used here under different instructions to examine two quite different cognitive phenomena during television viewing of marital interactions from feature films: a change to the cognitive state of “thinking” (rather than just watching), and the momentary perception of action “meaningful for the couple's relationship.” A variety of evidence supports the distinction and suggests directions for further applications of the technique.