Causes

: A proximate cause is the immediate trigger—for example, a match lighting a fire. The ultimate cause is the deeper reason—why the oxygen, fuel, and heat were all in that place at that time.

Humans are biologically wired to look for patterns and causes. This drive is at the heart of our most important disciplines: causes

: In complex systems like weather or economics, a tiny initial cause (the metaphorical flap of a butterfly's wings) can lead to vastly different outcomes over time. Why We Seek "The Why" : A proximate cause is the immediate trigger—for

: Identifying the cause of a disease is the first step toward a cure. This drive is at the heart of our

: A necessary cause must be present for an effect to occur (you need oxygen for fire), while a sufficient cause is enough on its own to produce the effect (a lightning strike is enough to start a forest fire).