more from Sydney Shoemaker

Single Idea 8560

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / b. Scientific necessity]

Full Idea

To the extent that causal laws can be viewed as propositions describing the causal potentialities of properties, it is impossible that the same properties should be governed by different causal laws in different possible worlds.

Gist of Idea

If causal laws describe causal potentialities, the same laws govern properties in all possible worlds

Source

Sydney Shoemaker (Causality and Properties [1980], §08)

Book Reference

Shoemaker,Sydney: 'Identity, Cause and Mind' [OUP 2003], p.222


A Reaction

[He has just asserted that causal potentialities are essential to properties] This is the dramatic basic claim of scientific essentialism, which grows out of Shoemaker's causal account of properties. Note that the laws are just descriptions.