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Single Idea 6781
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 2. Types of Laws
]
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 Ref
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.
The
18 ideas
from Nancy Cartwright
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17503
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Theories can never represent accurately, because their components are abstract
[Cartwright,N, by Portides]
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6781
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There are fundamental explanatory laws (false!), and phenomenological laws (regularities)
[Cartwright,N, by Bird]
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16166
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Laws of appearances are 'phenomenological'; laws of reality are 'theoretical'
[Cartwright,N]
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16170
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To get from facts to equations, we need a prepared descriptions suited to mathematics
[Cartwright,N]
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16171
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The covering law view assumes that each phenomenon has a 'right' explanation
[Cartwright,N]
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16167
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Laws get the facts wrong, and explanation rests on improvements and qualifications of laws
[Cartwright,N]
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16169
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Laws apply to separate domains, but real explanations apply to intersecting domains
[Cartwright,N]
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16175
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A cause won't increase the effect frequency if other causes keep interfering
[Cartwright,N]
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16176
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Covering-law explanation lets us explain storms by falling barometers
[Cartwright,N]
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16177
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I disagree with the covering-law view that there is a law to cover every single case
[Cartwright,N]
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16178
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There are few laws for when one theory meets another
[Cartwright,N]
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16179
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Good organisation may not be true, and the truth may not organise very much
[Cartwright,N]
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16180
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You can't explain one quail's behaviour by just saying that all quails do it
[Cartwright,N]
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16181
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Simple laws have quite different outcomes when they act in combinations
[Cartwright,N]
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16182
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Two main types of explanation are by causes, or by citing a theoretical framework
[Cartwright,N]
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16183
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In science, best explanations have regularly turned out to be false
[Cartwright,N]
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16184
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An explanation is a model that fits a theory and predicts the phenomenological laws
[Cartwright,N]
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16185
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Causality indicates which properties are real
[Cartwright,N]
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