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Series:   Elements in the Philosophy of Physics

Laws of Physics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2024

Eddy Keming Chen
Eddy Keming Chen
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego

Summary

Despite its apparent complexity, our world seems to be governed by simple laws of physics. This volume provides a philosophical introduction to such laws. I explain how they are connected to some of the central issues in philosophy, such as ontology, possibility, explanation, induction, counterfactuals, time, determinism, and fundamentality. I suggest that laws are fundamental facts that govern the world by constraining its physical possibilities. I examine three hallmarks of laws-simplicity, exactness, and objectivity-and discuss whether and how they may be associated with laws of physics.
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Keywords

timeconstraintsimplicityexplanationmodality
Type
Element
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Series: Elements in the Philosophy of Physics
Online ISBN: 9781009026390
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication: 20 June 2024

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Laws of Physics
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  • Online ISBN: 9781009026390
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Laws of Physics
  • Eddy Keming Chen, University of California, San Diego
  • Online ISBN: 9781009026390
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