Multiple means to one end are substitutes, not causes, of that end

Evidence

One noncausal relationship between secondary and basic levels takes the form of substitutability. Typically, this refers to different means to attain a given end (e.g., foreign policy substitutability; Most and Starr 1984). Our principle example of this will be Ostrom’s theory of common pool resource institutions (1991). For example, an important basic-level factor is the ability to monitor compliance with institution rules. However, depending on the characteristics of the society and the resource itself there are various means of achieving successful monitoring. These means do not stand in a causal relationship to monitoring, they are different ways to do it. While the Skocpol model involves equifinality, it is a causal equifinality; in the substitutability model, it is a noncausal equifinality. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts, 1575

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes two kinds of equifinality: causal (Skocpol’s multiple paths) versus noncausal (Ostrom’s interchangeable monitoring means).