Talk Title: Quantum Non-Locality, Causal Models and Fine Tuning: A Poor Fit

Recently the idea has been pursued to apply concepts from the causal modeling literature, specifically as developed by Glymour, Spirtes and Scheines and by Pearl, to the problem of non-locality and “spooky action-at-a-distance” as it appears in quantum theory. More specifically, there is a technical condition called “fine-tuning” that is often used to preclude causal models from serious consideration.   Professor Maudlin will analyze explicit causal theories of quantum phenomena to show that the “no fine-tuning” rule is both poorly named and inappropriate in this context. Plausible quantum theories can violate the condition without, in any intuitive or relevant sense, being fine-tuned.