Single Idea 6801

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

Full Idea

Many actual regularities are not laws (accidental regularities), and many perceived regularities are not actual ones (a summer's worth of observing green leaves).

Gist of Idea

Accidental regularities are not laws, and an apparent regularity may not be actual

Source

Alexander Bird (Philosophy of Science [1998], Ch.8)

Book Reference

Bird,Alexander: 'Philosophy of Science' [UCL Press 2000], p.239


A Reaction

These problems are not sufficient to refute the regularity view of laws. Accidental regularities can only be short-lived, and perceived regularities support laws without clinching them. There is an awful lot of regularity behind laws concerning gravity.