Antoniou, Antonis (2025) Laws, Initial Conditions and Physical Modality: Lessons from Cosmology. Foundations of Science, 55 (28).

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Abstract

Certain considerations from cosmology (Ellis 2006, 2014) and other areas of physics (Sklar, 1990; Frisch, 2004) pose challenges to the traditional distinction between laws and initial conditions, indicating the need for a more nuanced understanding of physical modality. A solution to these challenges is provided by presenting a conceptual framework according to which laws and fundamental lawlike assumptions within a theory’s nomic structure determine what is physically necessary and what is physically contingent from a physical theory’s point of view. Initial conditions are defined within this framework in terms of the possible configurations of a physical system allowed by the laws and other lawlike assumptions of a theory. The proposed deflationary framework of physical modality offers an alternative way of understanding the distinction between laws and initial conditions and allows the question of the modal status of the initial conditions of the Universe to be asked in a meaningful way.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Antoniou, Antonis antantoniou@phs.uoa.gr 0000-0001-8494-9915
Keywords:	Physical modality, Necessity, Contingency, Laws, Initial conditions, Cosmology
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
Depositing User:	Dr. Antonis Antoniou
Date Deposited:	04 Nov 2025 12:26
Last Modified:	04 Nov 2025 12:26
Item ID:	27107
Journal or Publication Title:	Foundations of Science
Publisher:	Springer
Official URL:	https://rdcu.be/eglbo
DOI or Unique Handle:	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-025-00841-6
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
Date:	2025
Volume:	55
Number:	28
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/27107

Available Versions of this Item

• Laws, Initial Conditions and Physical Modality: Lessons from Cosmology. (deposited 04 Apr 2025 14:05)
  • Laws, Initial Conditions and Physical Modality: Lessons from Cosmology. (deposited 04 Nov 2025 12:26) [Currently Displayed]

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