Anscombe's central thesis is that the traditional philosophical concept of "causation" as a necessary connection between events is a mistaken inheritance from theology and science, and that "cause" should be understood as an action verb describing a specific event or state of affairs that brings about another. She argues that the generality of the term "cause" has led to philosophical confusion, and that we should focus on the particular instances of one thing's making another happen.

The book critiques prevailing empiricist and scientific models of causality, advocating for a more practical and event-specific understanding. Readers gain a clearer grasp of what it means to attribute an effect to a cause, moving away from abstract notions of natural laws to concrete descriptions of actions and their direct consequences, enabling a more nuanced analysis of responsibility and explanation.

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Key concepts

Causation as Action — An event "causes" another when it is the action that brings about a change.
Rejection of Necessary Connection — There is no metaphysical or logical necessity linking cause and effect in the way many philosophers have assumed.
Event-Specific Causality — Focus should be on the particularity of events and their role in producing outcomes, not on universal laws.
Critique of Empiricist Models — Traditional accounts of cause and effect derived from Hume and Mill are found wanting.
Philosophical Confusion — The broad use of "cause" has obscured its practical meaning and led to unproductive metaphysical debates.