Natural Laws in Scientific Practice

Klappentext Philosopher of science Marc Lange aims to develop a new account of the roles that laws of nature play in scientific reasoning (such as counterfactual conditionals, inductive projections, and scientific explanations) and what those roles imply about the very nature of natural laws. Zusammenfassung It is often presumed that the laws of nature have special significance for scientific reasoning. But the laws' distinctive roles have proven notoriously difficult to identify--leading some philosophers to question if they hold such roles at all. This study offers original accounts of the roles that natural laws play in connection with counterfactual conditionals, inductive projections, and scientific explanations, and of what the laws must be in order for them to be capable of playing these roles. Particular attention is given to laws of special sciences, levels of scientific explanation, natural kinds, ceteris-paribus clauses, and physically necessary non-laws.

Product details

• Authors: Marc Lange, Marc (Professor of Philosophy Lange
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 27.09.2007
• EAN: 9780195331332
• ISBN: 978-0-19-533133-2
• No. of pages: 352
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works