Who murdered Smith in this causation puzzle? "Three men, Brown, Jones and Smith were walking in the desert. One night, Brown poisons the water in Smith's water bottle. Later that night, Jones drills a hole in Smith's water bottle. The next day, Smith dies of thirst." Dale E. Miller Faculty Member, Philosophy and Religious Studies , Old Dominion University Suppose that before Smith had swallowed any water Jones had shot him. In that case, I think, it would be obvious that while Brown attempted to kill Smith, Jones did in fact kill him. This case, I think, is fundamentally the same as that one. The fact that both attempts were via Smith's canteen is a red herring. Perhaps Brown is as blameworthy as Jones, but he did not kill Smith. Ro Smith Graduate Student, Philosophy , University of York Brown attempts murder, but it is Jones who murders him. Brown's murderous action was not to depreive Smith of drinking water, it was