Laws of Physics
Abstract
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.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2309.03484,
title = {Laws of Physics},
author = {Eddy Keming Chen},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2309.03484},
year = {2023}
}
Comments
76 pages, 10 figures, monograph manuscript prepared for Cambridge Elements in Philosophy of Physics. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2109.09226