Citation:
QIAO Tianyu and ZHAO Yizhang. Causal Discovery Algorithms: A Neglected Toolbox for Computational Sociology[J]. Academic Monthly, 2025, 57(6): 107-122.
Causal Discovery Algorithms: A Neglected Toolbox for Computational Sociology
-
Abstract
Sociologists have long focused on methods for causal identification and their applications, but have paid relatively little attention to advances in causal discovery. Building on a review of the two theoretical traditions of causal inference, this paper provides a systematic introduction to classical causal discovery algorithms, examining their underlying principles, practical applications, and potential integration with other computational approaches. In an era marked by the rise of large language models, the adoption of causal discovery algorithms offers new disciplinary capabilities for computational sociology, fostering data-driven knowledge production. These algorithms provide a rich toolkit for gaining deeper insights into complex social phenomena and for exploring causal relationships. Moreover, they hold profound implications for advancing a paradigm shift in knowledge production within the humanities and social sciences in the age of digital intelligence.
-
-
References
-
Access
-
-
[1]
WEN Jun
. From Technical Tokens to Social Tokens: the Ontological Construction of Token Sociology. Academic Monthly,
2026, 58(8): 145-156.
-
[2]
ZHOU Mujun
. Between Theory and Empirical Facts: Habermas and the Sociological Debate on the Public Sphere. Academic Monthly,
2026, 58(8): 157-170.
-
[3]
RAN Gaoran
. The Evolution and Game of Property Systems——On the Paradigm Choice for Data Property. Academic Monthly,
2026, 58(7): 117-128.
-
[4]
YU Jianxing
, LIU Yuxuan
. Beyond the Outside Observer: Repositioning the Social Sciences in the Era of Large Language Models. Academic Monthly,
2026, 58(7): 77-89.
-
[5]
LU Mingjun
. Simulacra, Pattern Recognition, and Computational Formalism——Reflections on the Application of AI in Artistic Practice and Art History Research. Academic Monthly,
2026, 58(8): 41-55.
-
[6]
WANG Gang
. Viewing the Cultural Intent of the “Xueheng School” from Hu Xiansu's Teachers and Friends's Group. Academic Monthly,
2026, 58(7): 206-216.
-
-