Single Idea 6748

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 4. Regularities / a. Regularity theory]

Full Idea

There may be a regularity of siblings looking similar, but the tie that binds them is not their similarity, but rather their being born of the same parents.

Clarification

'Siblings' are brothers and sisters

Gist of Idea

Similar appearance of siblings is a regularity, but shared parents is what links them

Source

Alexander Bird (Philosophy of Science [1998], Ch.1)

Book Reference

Bird,Alexander: 'Philosophy of Science' [UCL Press 2000], p.49


A Reaction

A nice objection to the regularity view. Regularities, as so often in philosophy (e.g. Idea 1364), may be the evidence or test for a law, rather than the law itself, which requires causal mechanisms, ultimately based (I think) in essences.

Related Idea

Idea 1364 Locke confuses the test for personal identity with the thing itself [Reid on Locke]