How the Laws of Physics Lie

By: Nancy Cartwright

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Paperback | 9 June 1983

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232 Pages

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21.59 x 13.97 x 1.35

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In this sequence of philosophical essays about natural science, Nancy Cartwright argues that fundamental explanatory laws, the deepest and most admired successes of modern physics, do not in fact describe the regularities that exist in nature. Yet she is not `anti-realist'. Rather, she draws a novel distinction, arguing that theoretical entities, and the complex and localized laws that describe them, can be interpreted realistically, but that the simple unifying laws of basic theory cannot.

Industry Reviews

`The issues raised are very important and highly controversial ... I believe the book to be of importance in inviting philosophers to take a new look at the way physics is actually done, and what their reaction to that practice might be.' M. L. G. Redhead, Philosophical Quarterly `A significant addition to the literature. The central thesis is novel, the argumentation lively and forceful, the book is rich in material drawn from the actual explanatory practices of scientists.' W. H. Newton-Smith, Times Literary Supplement `The author introduces fresh ideas about every topic she discusses. Any philosopher will learn from this book, and will enjoy it as well.' Geoffrey Joseph, Philosophical Review

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Science Physics Science in General Philosophy of Science

Acknowledgements	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
Causal Laws and Effective Strategies	p. 21
The Truth Doesn't Explain Much	p. 44
Do the Laws of Physics State the Facts?	p. 54
The Reality of Causes In a World of Instrumental Laws	p. 74
When Explanation Leads to Inference	p. 87
For Phenomenological Laws	p. 100
Fitting Facts to Equations	p. 128
The Simulacrum Account of Explanation	p. 143
How the Measurement Problem Is an Artefact of the Mathematics	p. 163
Appendix; an Experiment to Test Reduction of the Wave Packet	p. 206
Author Index	p. 217
Subject Index	p. 219
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

How the Laws of Physics Lie

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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