Single Idea 16272

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 1. Laws of Nature]

Full Idea

The fundamental laws of nature appear to be laws of temporal evolution: they specify how the state of the universe will, or might, evolve from a given intial state.

Gist of Idea

Fundamental laws say how nature will, or might, evolve from some initial state

Source

Tim Maudlin (The Metaphysics within Physics [2007], 6)

Book Reference

Maudlin,Tim: 'The Metaphysics within Physics' [OUP 2007], p.172


A Reaction

Maudlin takes both laws of nature and the passage of time to be primitive facts, and this is how they are connected. I think (this week) that I take time and causation to be primitive, but not laws.