Smoking is considered a cause of lung cancer because it significantly increases the risk of developing the disease. Most diseases, including lung cancer, are multifactorial, meaning they result from the interaction of various factors including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. A cause in this context increases the probability of the disease occurring. It is not always a singular, direct cause but often one of many contributing factors. There are many "types of causes":

• Necessary Cause: A factor that must be present for a disease to occur. Without it, the disease cannot develop. For lung cancer, smoking is not a necessary cause because lung cancer can occur in non-smokers.
• Sufficient Cause: A factor that alone can cause the disease. Smoking is not a sufficient cause because not all smokers develop lung cancer.
• Component Cause: A factor that contributes to the development of a disease. Smoking is a component cause because it significantly increases the risk of lung cancer.

Causation is often understood through counterfactuals: "If A had not occurred, B would not have occurred." In the context of smoking and lung cancer, if we imagine a world where no one smokes, the incidence of lung cancer would be significantly lower. This establishes smoking as a cause of lung cancer.

Smoking is considered a cause of lung cancer because it significantly increases the risk of developing the disease. Most diseases, including lung cancer, are multifactorial, meaning they result from the interaction of various factors including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. A cause in this context increases the probability of the disease occurring. It is not always a singular, direct cause but often one of many contributing factors. There are many "types of causes":

• Necessary Cause: A factor that must be present for a disease to occur. Without it, the disease cannot develop. For lung cancer, smoking is not a necessary cause because lung cancer can occur in non-smokers.
• Sufficient Cause: A factor that alone can cause the disease. Smoking is not a sufficient cause because not all smokers develop lung cancer.
• Component Cause: A factor that contributes to the development of a disease. Smoking is a component cause because it significantly increases the risk of lung cancer.

Causation is often understood through counterfactuals: "If A had not occurred, B would not have occurred." In the context of smoking and lung cancer, if we imagine a world where no one smokes, the incidence of lung cancer would be significantly lower. This establishes smoking as a cause of lung cancer.