Book Image

Causal Inference and Discovery in Python

By : Aleksander Molak
4.7 (9)
Book Image

Causal Inference and Discovery in Python

4.7 (9)
By: Aleksander Molak

Overview of this book

Causal methods present unique challenges compared to traditional machine learning and statistics. Learning causality can be challenging, but it offers distinct advantages that elude a purely statistical mindset. Causal Inference and Discovery in Python helps you unlock the potential of causality. You’ll start with basic motivations behind causal thinking and a comprehensive introduction to Pearlian causal concepts, such as structural causal models, interventions, counterfactuals, and more. Each concept is accompanied by a theoretical explanation and a set of practical exercises with Python code. Next, you’ll dive into the world of causal effect estimation, consistently progressing towards modern machine learning methods. Step-by-step, you’ll discover Python causal ecosystem and harness the power of cutting-edge algorithms. You’ll further explore the mechanics of how “causes leave traces” and compare the main families of causal discovery algorithms. The final chapter gives you a broad outlook into the future of causal AI where we examine challenges and opportunities and provide you with a comprehensive list of resources to learn more. By the end of this book, you will be able to build your own models for causal inference and discovery using statistical and machine learning techniques as well as perform basic project assessment.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
1
Part 1: Causality – an Introduction
7
Part 2: Causal Inference
14
Part 3: Causal Discovery

What are counterfactuals?

Have you ever wondered where you would be today if you had chosen something different in your life? Moved to another city 10 years ago? Studied art? Dated another person? Taken a motorcycle trip in Hawaii? Answering these types of questions requires us to create alternative worlds, worlds that we have never observed. If you’ve ever tried doing this for yourself, you already know intuitively what counterfactuals are.

Let’s try to structure this intuition. We can think about counterfactuals as a minimal modification to a system (Pearl, Glymour, and Jewell, 2016). In this sense, they are similar to interventions. Nonetheless, there is a fundamental difference between the two.

Counterfactuals can be thought of as hypothetical or simulated interventions that assume a particular state of the world (note that interventions do not require any assumptions about the state of the world). For instance, answering a counterfactual question such as &...