Humean Laws for Human Agents

Humean Laws for Human Agents presents cutting-edge research on the Humean account of laws, chance, possibility, and necessity, emphasizing their usefulness for limited agents and addressing fundamental problems through pragmatic considerations. The volume develops and critically examines pragmatic Humean accounts, setting the agenda for future research.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Humean Laws for Human Agents is a groundbreaking collection of cutting-edge research by renowned experts in the field of Humean accounts of laws, chance, possibility, and necessity. This book delves into the central question of metaphysics and philosophy of science: What are laws of nature? Humeans argue that laws are not unique metaphysical entities but rather effective summaries of the actual events that occur in the world. The most recent developments in Humeanism emphasize the practical usefulness of laws for limited agents and employ pragmatic considerations to address fundamental and long-standing problems.

In this comprehensive volume, the authors explore and critically examine pragmatic Humean accounts, covering a wide range of topics such as the epistemology of laws and chance, the problem of induction, counterfactuals, special science laws, and a Humean account of essence. The papers in this collection provide a comprehensive roadmap for developing pragmatic Humeanism and connate views, setting the stage for future research in this field.

One of the key contributions of this book is its innovative approach to the epistemology of laws and chance. The authors argue that laws are not merely descriptive but also have epistemic significance, as they provide us with information about the regularities and patterns that govern the world. They explore various strategies for understanding the epistemic role of laws, including the use of Bayesian inference and the concept of explanatory value.

Another important aspect of the book is its exploration of the problem of induction. Humeans face the challenge of explaining how we can infer general laws from specific observations, given that our observations are limited and finite. The authors offer several pragmatic solutions to this problem, such as the use of counterfactuals and the concept of explanatory value.

Counterfactuals are a crucial tool in Humeanism, as they allow us to assess the explanatory power of laws by imagining alternative scenarios in which the laws would not hold. The authors discuss various approaches to counterfactual analysis, including the use of Bayesian inference and the concept of explanatory value.

Special science laws are another area of focus in the book. Humeans argue that laws of science are not sui generis but rather are derived from general laws of nature. The authors explore various strategies for deriving special science laws, including the use of explanatory value and the concept of scientific explanation.

Finally, the book also provides a Humean account of essence. Humeans argue that essence is not a metaphysical entity but rather a property that is attributed to objects by human observers. The authors explore various strategies for understanding the nature of essence, including the use of explanatory value and the concept of scientific explanation.

In conclusion, Humean Laws for Human Agents is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the philosophy of science, metaphysics, and the laws of nature. The book offers a comprehensive and innovative exploration of pragmatic Humean accounts, providing a roadmap for developing these views and setting the agenda for future research. The authors' contributions to the epistemology of laws and chance, the problem of induction, counterfactuals, special science laws, and the Humean account of essence are particularly noteworthy, and their work will undoubtedly inspire and influence future research in these areas.

Weight: 588g
Dimension: 161 x 241 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192893819