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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260517T110119Z
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20120914T161500
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20120914T181500
SUMMARY:A Critique of the Philosophy of Laws of Nature – Or: Abductive Scientific Realism Meets Mathematical Realism
UID:20260527T031404Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-6b96c54f56-bljdq
TZID:Australia/Melbourne
LOCATION:University of Melbourne\, Melbourne\, Australia\, 3010
DESCRIPTION:<p><strong>Abstract<br> </strong>This paper presents a general critique of the philosophy of laws of nature and outlines a new mathemtico-realist approach based on a metaphysics of science which I call abductive scientific realism. First\, I will briefly describe the current state of the metaphysics of science debate\, indicating in particular the metaphysical framework I assume in examining the problem of laws of nature. Second\, I will present a general critique of the philosophy of laws of nature\, considering the anti-realist theories of Lewis\, van Fraassen\, and Giere\; the realist proposals of Armstrong\, Ellis\, and Bird\; and\, finally\, the somewhat intermediate positions of Cartwright\, Mumford\, and Psillos. Third\, I will critically analyse the problem of the desiderata for a theory of laws\, examining the criteria independently developed by Ellis and Mumford\, and presenting my own desiderata for the ontology\, epistemology\, and semantics of laws of nature. Finally\, I will outline a mathematico-realist theory of laws\, evaluating the standard indispensability argument for mathematical entities\, the principle of causal isolation\, the make-no-difference argument\, the viability of an ontology of mixed physico-mathematical facts\, the role of inference to the best explanation\, and the mathematical explanations of physical facts in science. I will conclude that there are good reasons for elaborating a systematic mathematico-realist theory of laws of nature if we want to account for one of the core elements of a metaphysics that takes science seriously. </p>
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