Reutlinger, Alexander (2011) A Theory of Non-Universal Laws. International Studies in the Philosophy of Science .

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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 or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Reutlinger, Alexander Alexander.Reutlinger@uni-koeln.de
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 13:45
Last Modified:	29 Feb 2012 13:45
Item ID:	9035
Journal or Publication Title:	International Studies in the Philosophy of Science
Official URL:	http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0269859...
Subjects:	General Issues > Laws of Nature
Date:	2011
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/9035

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