Single Idea 6616

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 2. Types of Laws]

Full Idea

The principle of least action is not a causal law, but is what I call a 'global law', which describes the essence of the global kind, which every object in the universe necessarily instantiates.

Gist of Idea

Least action is not a causal law, but a 'global law', describing a global essence

Source

Brian Ellis (Katzav on limitations of dispositions [2005])

Book Reference

-: 'Analysis 65.1 Jan 2005' [- 2005], p.91


A Reaction

As a fan of essentialism I find this persuasive. If I inherit part of my essence from being a mammal, I inherit other parts of my essence from being an object, and all objects would share that essence, so it would look like a 'law' for all objects.