Full Idea
We know the laws of the physical world, in so far as they are mathematical, pretty well, but we know nothing else about it.
Gist of Idea
We only know the mathematical laws, but not much else
Source
John Hawthorne (Causal Structuralism [2001], Ch.25)
Book Reference
Hawthorne,John: 'Metaphysical Essays' [OUP 2002], p.264
A Reaction
Lovely remark [spotted by Hawthorne]. This sums up exactly what I take to be the most pressing issue in philosophy of science - that we develop a view of science that has space for the next step in explanation.