Single Idea 19670

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / b. Scientific necessity]

Full Idea

We must ask how we are to explain the manifest stability of physical laws, given that we take these to be contingent?

Gist of Idea

Why are contingent laws of nature stable?

Source

Quentin Meillassoux (After Finitude; the necessity of contingency [2006], 4)

Book Reference

Meillassoux: 'After Finitude: the necessity of contingency', ed/tr. Brassier,R [Bloomsbury 2008], p.91


A Reaction

Meissalloux offers a very deep and subtle answer to this question... It is based on the possibilities of chaos being an uncountable infinity... It is a very nice question, which physicists might be able to answer, without help from philosophy.

Related Idea

Idea 19672 Kant fails to prove the necessity of laws, because his reasoning about chance is over-ambitious [Meillassoux on Kant]