# Combining the Causal Judgments of Experts with Possibly Different Focus Areas

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.10131 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.10131/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 20 May 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Operationalising Relative Causal Knowledge: Backbone Identifiability from Private Reports on a Shared Outcome](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.10664/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

In many real-world settings, a decision-maker must combine information provided by different experts in order to decide on an effective policy. Alrajeh, Chockler, and Halpern [2018] showed how to combine causal models that are compatible in the sense that, for variables that appear in both models, the experts agree on the causal structure. In this work we show how causal models can be combined in cases where the experts might disagree on the causal structure for variables that appear in both models due to having different focus areas. We provide a new formal definition of compatibility of models in this setting and show how compatible models can be combined. We also consider the complexity of determining whether models are compatible. We believe that the notions defined in this work are of direct relevance to many practical decision making scenarios that come up in natural, social, and medical science settings.