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A Theory of Non-Universal Laws

Reutlinger, Alexander (2011) A Theory of Non-Universal Laws. [Published Article]

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    Abstract

    Laws in the special sciences are usually regarded to be non-universal. A theory of laws in the special sciences faces two challenges: (I) According to Lange’s dilemma, laws in the special sciences are either false or trivially true; (II) they have to meet the Requirement of Relevance, which a way to require the non-accidentality of special science laws. I argue that both challenges can be meet, if one distinguishes four dimensions of (non-)universality. The upshot is that I argue for the following explication of special science laws: L is a special science law iff (1) L is a system law, (2) L is quasi-Newtonian, and (3) L is minimally invariant.

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    Item Type: Published Article
    Keywords: ceteris paribus laws, laws of nature, universality, quasi-Newtonian laws, invariance
    Subjects: General Issues > Laws of Nature
    Depositing User: Alexander Reutlinger
    Date Deposited: 29 Feb 2012 08:45
    Last Modified: 29 Feb 2012 08:45
    Item ID: 9035
    Official URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0269859...
    URI: http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/9035

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