Nature's metaphysics : laws and properties / by Alexander Bird.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bird, Alexander, 1964- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Metaphysics.

Disposition (Philosophy).

Law--Philosophy.

Law.

First philosophy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 231 pages) : illustrations

Other Title:

Laws and properties

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Nature's Metaphysics argues that a satisfactory philosophy of science requires a metaphysics that is based on the understanding that natural properties are essentially dispositional. Alexander Bird develops a dispositional essentialist account of the laws of nature, defending the claim that laws are metaphysically necessary. Professional philosophers and advanced students working in metaphysics and the philosophy of science will find this book both provocative andstimulating.

Contents:

Contents; 1 Introduction-laws and properties; 2 Dispositions; 3 Dispositional essentialism and the laws of nature; 4 Categoricalism; 5 Dispositional essentialism,modality, and intentionality; 6 The regress objection; 7 Structural properties; 8 The illusion of nomic contingency; 9 Are there any laws, and if so what are they?; 10 Concluding remarks; References; Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [219]-225) and index.

Description based on print version record.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

0-19-957311-5

1-281-15001-0

9786611150013

0-19-152772-6

1-4356-2186-7

OCLC:

191049822