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Single Idea 9418

[from 'Law and Causality' by Frank P. Ramsey, in 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 4. Regularities / b. Best system theory ]

Full Idea

Even if we knew everything, we should still want to systematize our knowledge as a deductive system, and the general axioms in that system would be the fundamental laws of nature.

Gist of Idea

All knowledge needs systematizing, and the axioms would be the laws of nature

Source

Frank P. Ramsey (Law and Causality [1928], §A)

Book Reference

Ramsey,Frank: 'Philosophical Papers', ed/tr. Mellor,D.H. [CUP 1990], p.143


A Reaction

This is the Mill-Ramsey-Lewis view. Cf. Idea 9420.

Related Idea

Idea 9420 Causal laws result from the simplest axioms of a complete deductive system [Ramsey]