Laws in Nature,9780415311281

Laws in Nature

by
ISBN13: 9780415311281
ISBN10: 0415311284
Format: Hardcover
Pub. Date: 2004-09-01
Publisher(s): Routledge
List Price: $203.29

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Summary

This book outlines a major new theory of natural laws. The book begins with the question of whether there are any genuinely law-like phenomena in nature. The discussion addresses questions currently being debated by metaphysicians such as whether the laws of nature are necessary or contingent and whether a property can be identified independently of its causal role.

Author Biography

Stephen Mumford is Reader in Metaphysics in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Nottingham.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations
xi
Preface xii
Acknowledgements xvi
Laws in science and philosophy
1(18)
Laws and explanations
1(3)
Apology for metaphysics
4(4)
Laws in nature
8(2)
Laws in science
10(3)
Lawlessness
13(2)
Overview of the book
15(4)
PART I Humean lawlessness
19(46)
The lawless world
21(10)
Just one little thing and then another
21(1)
A sceptical duty
22(1)
Humean lawlessness
23(1)
Necessity is in the head
24(2)
Regularities and science
26(1)
Conjunctions, connections and laws
27(3)
Humean `theories of laws'
30(1)
Regularities and best systems
31(19)
Regularity and less-than-universal regularity
31(1)
Irrefutable but unappealing
32(3)
The critique of the regularity theory
35(5)
The best systems theory
40(5)
Problems for best systems
45(3)
Humean supervenience
48(2)
Hume's argument
50(15)
The Humean view of necessity and laws
50(1)
The arguments of the Treatisc and Enquiry
51(6)
Was Hume a sceptical realist?
57(4)
Humean scepticism
61(2)
Conjunction as evidence of necessity
63(2)
PART II Nomological realism
65(60)
The nomological argument
67(16)
What is nomological realism?
67(1)
Do we need a nomological argument?
68(1)
The argument
69(3)
Without laws, there would be no order
72(2)
Without laws, there would be nothing
74(2)
Without laws, there would be no science
76(1)
How compelling is the nomological argument?
77(2)
Cosmic coincidence
79(2)
Patterns without laws
81(1)
A less direct argument for laws?
82(1)
Natural necessitation relations
83(22)
Real laws and their role
83(2)
The basic DTA theory
85(2)
Key virtues over the regularity theory
87(2)
Variants on the DTA theory
89(3)
Some perceived weaknesses of DTA
92(4)
Armstrong's nomological argument
96(3)
The nomic relation
99(2)
Instantiation and supervenience
101(1)
How can Armstrong's laws govern?
102(1)
Quidditism
103(2)
Necessitarian essentialism
105(20)
The New Essentialism
105(1)
The essentialist theory of laws
106(4)
Natural kinds
110(3)
Essential properties
113(3)
The universal accidental
116(2)
From reference to essence?
118(1)
From science to essence?
118(2)
Essentialist laws?
120(2)
Necessary laws?
122(1)
Essentialist laws not proved
123(2)
PART III Realist lawlessness
125(81)
Are natural laws a natural kind?
127(16)
Conclusion
127(1)
The elusive and ineffable nature of laws
128(2)
Laws as a kind?
130(2)
Disagreements
132(2)
The diversity of laws
134(5)
A family resemblance between laws?
139(2)
Modernization?
141(2)
The Central Dilemma
143(17)
The Central Dilemma: introduction
143(1)
The argument: summary formulation
144(1)
The governing role of laws
145(1)
The Central Dilemma, first horn: externalized laws
146(3)
External laws and quidditism
149(3)
First horn: summary
152(1)
The Central Dilemma, second horn: internalized laws
153(3)
Newtonian-spirits
156(1)
Second horn: summary
157(1)
Full statement and conclusion
158(2)
Modal properties
160(22)
Necessity in nature
160(1)
Full strength necessity in laws
161(2)
Contingent natural necessity
163(3)
De re necessity
166(2)
Is a power's necessity merely analytic?
168(2)
Powerful properties
170(4)
Shifting potencies
174(1)
Restricted combinatorialsim
175(5)
Possible properties
180(1)
Natural necessity
181(1)
Objections and replies
182(19)
Responses
182(1)
Holism versus discreta
182(3)
Relativity
185(2)
Do all properties have a causal essence?
187(1)
Epiphenomena
188(2)
How might the account be extended to relations?
190(2)
Meinongianism
192(3)
Why is this not a theory of laws?
195(2)
Why is this theory not subject to the Central Dilemma?
197(1)
Am I looking for the wrong kind of law?
198(1)
Can all laws be replaced by powers?
198(1)
Powers are no better understood than laws
199(2)
Conclusion: law and metaphor
201(5)
Law as metaphor
201(1)
Law as the wrong metaphor
202(1)
Law as a harmful metaphor
203(3)
Notes 206(12)
Bibliography 218(7)
Index 225

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