Ideas from 'What is a Law of Nature?' by David M. Armstrong [1983], by Theme Structure
[found in 'What is a Law of Nature?' by Armstrong,D.M. [CUP 1985,0-521-31481-x]].
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1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 7. Limitations of Analysis
17663
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If you know what it is, investigation is pointless. If you don't, investigation is impossible
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7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 8. Facts / b. Types of fact
17688
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Negative facts are supervenient on positive facts, suggesting they are positive facts
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8. Modes of Existence / A. Relations / 4. Formal Relations / a. Types of relation
17691
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Nothing is genuinely related to itself
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8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 1. Nature of Properties
17679
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All instances of some property are strictly identical
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8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 6. Categorical Properties
12677
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Armstrong holds that all basic properties are categorical [Ellis]
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8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 7. Against Powers
17666
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Actualism means that ontology cannot contain what is merely physically possible
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17667
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Dispositions exist, but their truth-makers are actual or categorical properties
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17687
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If everything is powers there is a vicious regress, as powers are defined by more powers
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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 1. Universals
17678
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Universals are just the repeatable features of a world
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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 2. Need for Universals
17669
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Realist regularity theories of laws need universals, to pick out the same phenomena
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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 3. Instantiated Universals
17677
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Past, present and future must be equally real if universals are instantiated
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17686
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Universals are abstractions from states of affairs
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15442
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Universals are abstractions from their particular instances [Lewis]
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9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / b. Individuation by properties
17668
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It is likely that particulars can be individuated by unique conjunctions of properties
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9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 5. Self-Identity
17680
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The identity of a thing with itself can be ruled out as a pseudo-property
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10. Modality / B. Possibility / 5. Contingency
17693
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The necessary/contingent distinction may need to recognise possibilities as real
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14. Science / C. Induction / 3. Limits of Induction
17685
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Induction aims at 'all Fs', but abduction aims at hidden or theoretical entities
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14. Science / C. Induction / 5. Paradoxes of Induction / a. Grue problem
17683
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Science suggests that the predicate 'grue' is not a genuine single universal
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17675
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Unlike 'green', the 'grue' predicate involves a time and a change
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14. Science / C. Induction / 5. Paradoxes of Induction / b. Raven paradox
17674
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The raven paradox has three disjuncts, confirmed by confirming any one of them
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / a. Types of explanation
17672
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A good reason for something (the smoke) is not an explanation of it (the fire)
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / e. Lawlike explanations
17684
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To explain observations by a regular law is to explain the observations by the observations
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 3. Best Explanation / a. Best explanation
17676
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Best explanations explain the most by means of the least
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18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 1. Abstract Thought
17664
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Each subject has an appropriate level of abstraction
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26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / e. The One
17692
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We can't deduce the phenomena from the One
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26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 2. Types of cause
17689
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Absences might be effects, but surely not causes?
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 1. Laws of Nature
17662
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Science depends on laws of nature to study unobserved times and spaces
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17682
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A universe couldn't consist of mere laws
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 2. Types of Laws
17690
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Oaken conditional laws, Iron universal laws, and Steel necessary laws [PG]
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 3. Laws and Generalities
17670
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Newton's First Law refers to bodies not acted upon by a force, but there may be no such body
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 4. Regularities / a. Regularity theory
8582
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Regularities are lawful if a second-order universal unites two first-order universals [Lewis]
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17671
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A naive regularity view says if it never occurs then it is impossible
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 5. Laws from Universals
17681
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The laws of nature link properties with properties
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16246
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Rather than take necessitation between universals as primitive, just make laws primitive [Maudlin]
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9480
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Armstrong has an unclear notion of contingent necessitation, which can't necessitate anything [Bird]
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