The Metaphysics of Laws of Nature: The Rules of the Game

The concept of laws of nature emerged in the 17th century, but there has been controversy over their meaning and enforcement. This book explores the three families of answers to this question, tracing their origins and developments to the present day. It aims to help readers develop their own desiderata and judge the merits of the competing positions in the debate over laws of nature.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 07 July 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

It can be observed that we exist in a world governed by the laws of nature, yet it was not until the seventeenth century that the concept of a law emerged. Since then, it has been a subject of debate: what does it mean to assert that Boyle's law governs the expansion of a gas, or that the planets adhere to the law of gravity? Laws are guidelines that enable calculations and predictions. What kind of universe must it be to adhere to these rules?

This book categorizes the most prominent answers into three families. Laws initially emerged within a theological context; they only govern events because God enforces them. Those who sought to reverse the order of explanation and argue that the powers of objects determine the laws struggled to claim the results of new science for themselves. The standoff between these two families gave rise to a third family that rejects any form of enforcer for the laws. On this view, laws merely summarize events; they do not govern anything.

This book chronicles the fortunes of the three families, from their origins to the present day. It employs objections and the revisions required to address them to produce the most representative examples of each. Along the way, it aims to settle the rules of this game, the debate over laws of nature. The book aims to assist readers in developing their own desiderata and evaluating the merits of the competing positions.

Weight: 640g
Dimension: 240 x 160 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192859235