Single Idea 4788

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 9. Counterfactual Claims]

Full Idea

Dowe commends the Conserved Quantity theory because it avoids any mention of counterfactuals.

Gist of Idea

Dowe commends the Conserved Quantity theory as it avoids mention of counterfactuals

Source

report of Phil Dowe (Physical Causation [2000]) by Stathis Psillos - Causation and Explanation §4.4

Book Reference

Psillos,Stathis: 'Causation and Explanation' [Acumen 2002], p.125


A Reaction

Clearly the truth of a counterfactual is quite a problem for an empiricist/scientist, but one needs to distinguish between reality and our grasp of it. We commit ourselves to counterfactuals, even if causation is transfer of conserved quantities.