# Difference-Making without Making a Difference

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.24832 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.24832/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 2 of its 21 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 23 Jun 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Causal Sufficiency and Actual Causation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.02311/) (2021)
- [The Counterfactual NESS Definition of Causation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.05123/) (2020)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Over a series of seven papers, Andreas & G"unther have introduced seven definitions of actual causation and have classified them as belonging to three different, competing, types of accounts: factual difference-making, counterfactual difference-making, and regularity-based. I show that their most recent - factual difference-making - definition instantiates all three types, thereby proving that these are distinctions without a difference. I further compare their novel account to the other six accounts on several crucial examples, revealing that this undermines all seven of their accounts.