A Physico-Mathematical Account of Scientific Laws
Mr Cristian Soto (University of Melbourne)

September 4, 2015, 10:15am - 11:45am
History and Philosophy of Science, University of Melbourne

Melbourne
Australia

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I advance a physico-mathematical approach to scientific laws, which is intended to account for the notion of lawhood in various areas of physics. In a minimalist fashion, most scientific laws can be understood as high-level abstract mathematical statements, which express some of the best physical generalisations of those phenomena whose salience and stability is relevant for various scientific tasks. Concerning the longstanding debate on laws in the philosophy of science, the physico-mathematical account rejects both the metaphysics-minded maximalist understanding of scientific laws as laws of nature, and the no-laws thesis, which pursues an interpretation of science without laws. Contrary to these views, taking into consideration the notions of measurement and modelling, I shall seek to account for the mathematical character of most laws and their physical scope.

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