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Single Idea 14800

[from 'The Architecture of Theories' by Charles Sanders Peirce, in 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 1. Laws of Nature ]

Full Idea

Exact law obviously never can produce heterogeneity out of homogeneity; and arbitrary heterogeneity is the feature of the universe the most manifest and characteristic.

Clarification

'heterogeneity' is stuff being different, 'homogeneity' is it all being the same

Gist of Idea

The world is full of variety, but laws seem to produce uniformity

Source

Charles Sanders Peirce (The Architecture of Theories [1891], p.319)

Book Reference

Peirce,Charles Sanders: 'Philosophical Writings of Peirce', ed/tr. Buchler,Justus [Dover 1940], p.319


A Reaction

This is the view of laws of nature now associated with Nancy Cartwright, but presumably you can explain the apparent chaos in terms of the intersection of vast numbers of 'laws'. Or, better, there aren't any laws.