Full Idea
Nancy Cartwright distinguishes between 'fundamental explanatory laws', which we should not believe, and 'phenomenological laws', which are regularities established on the basis of observation.
Gist of Idea
There are fundamental explanatory laws (false!), and phenomenological laws (regularities)
Source
report of Nancy Cartwright (How the Laws of Physics Lie [1983]) by Alexander Bird - Philosophy of Science Ch.4
Book Reference
Bird,Alexander: 'Philosophy of Science' [UCL Press 2000], p.139
A Reaction
The distinction is helpful, so that we can be clearer about what everyone is claiming. We can probably all agree on the phenomenological laws, which are epistemological. Personally I claim truth for the best fundamental explanatory laws.