Laws and Lawmakers Science, Metaphysics, and the Laws of Nature |
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| Author:
| Lange, Marc |
| ISBN: | 978-0-19-532814-1 |
| Publication Date: | Jul 2009 |
| Publisher: | Oxford University Press, Incorporated
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| Book Format: | Paperback |
| List Price: | USD $42.99 |
Book Description:
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What distinguishes laws of nature from ordinary facts? What are the "lawmakers": the facts in virtue of which the laws are laws? How can laws be necessary, yet contingent? Lange provocatively argues that laws are distinguished by their necessity, which is grounded in primitive subjunctive facts, while also providing a non-technical and accessible survey of the field.
What distinguishes laws of nature from ordinary facts? What are the "lawmakers": the facts in virtue of which the laws are laws? How can laws be necessary, yet contingent? Lange provocatively argues that laws are distinguished by their necessity, which is grounded in primitive subjunctive facts, while also providing a non-technical and accessible survey of the field.