Chen, Eddy Keming (2025) The Simplicity of Physical Laws. Noûs. pp. 1-31.

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Abstract

Physical laws are strikingly simple, yet there is no a priori reason for them to be so. I propose that nomic realists—Humeans and non-Humeans—should recognize simplicity as a fundamental epistemic guide for discovering and evaluating candidate physical laws. This proposal helps resolve several longstanding problems of nomic realism and simplicity. A key consequence is that the presumed epistemic advantage of Humeanism over non-Humeanism dissolves, undermining a prominent epistemological argument for Humeanism. Moreover, simplicity is shown to be more connected to lawhood than to mere truth.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Chen, Eddy Keming eddykemingchen@ucsd.edu 0000-0001-5144-0952
Keywords:	empirical equivalence, induction, underdetermination, determinism, strong determinism, primitivism, Humeanism, non-Humeanism, laws of nature, Bayesianism, comparative probability, expert principle
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
Depositing User:	Dr. Eddy Keming Chen
Date Deposited:	19 Jan 2025 13:56
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2025 13:56
Item ID:	24575
Journal or Publication Title:	Noûs
Official URL:	https://doi.org/10.1111/nous.12542
DOI or Unique Handle:	https://doi.org/10.1111/nous.12542
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
Date:	17 January 2025
Page Range:	pp. 1-31
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/24575

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• The Simplicity of Physical Laws. (deposited 15 Oct 2022 03:34)
  • The Simplicity of Physical Laws. (deposited 12 Jun 2023 12:58)
    • The Simplicity of Physical Laws. (deposited 24 Oct 2024 12:03)
      • The Simplicity of Physical Laws. (deposited 19 Jan 2025 13:56) [Currently Displayed]

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