Single Idea 18854

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 4. Regularities / b. Best system theory]

Full Idea

According to the Mill-Ramsey-Lewis account of the laws of nature, a generalisation is a law just in case it is a theorem of every true account of the actual world that achieves the best overall balance of simplicity and strength.

Gist of Idea

The MRL view says laws are the theorems of the simplest and strongest account of the world

Source

Gideon Rosen (The Limits of Contingency [2006], 08)

Book Reference

'Identity and Modality', ed/tr. MacBride,Fraser [OUP 2006], p.34


A Reaction

The obvious objection is that many of the theorems will be utterly trivial, and that is one thing that the laws of nature are not. Unless you are including 'metaphysical laws' about very very fundamental things, like objects, properties, relations.