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Single Idea 15870

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 2. Types of Laws]

Full Idea

What is Newton's First Law about? Is it about events? Is it about types or universals? Is it about dispositions? Or is it, in some peculiar way, about all three?

Gist of Idea

Are laws of nature about events, or types and universals, or dispositions, or all three?

Source

Rom Harré (Laws of Nature [1993], 2)

Book Reference

Harré,Rom: 'Laws of Nature' [Duckworth 1993], p.39


A Reaction

If laws merely chart regularities, then I suppose they are about events (which exhibit the regular patterns). If laws explain, which would be nice, then they are only about universals if you are a platonist. Hence laws are about dispositions.