Laws and Symmetry (Clarendon Paperbacks) - Couverture souple

Van Fraassen, Bas C.

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0198248601 ISBN 13 : 9780198248606

Editeur : Oxford University Press, USA, 1990

Synopsis

Metaphysicians speak of laws of nature in terms of necessity and universality; scientists, in terms of symmetry and invariance. In this book van Fraassen argues that no metaphysical account of laws can succeed. He analyzes and rejects the arguments that there are laws of nature, or that we must believe there are, and argues that we should disregard the idea of law as an adequate clue to science. After exploring what this means for general epistemology, the author develops the empiricist view of science as a construction of models to represent the phenomena.

A propos du livre

Revue de presse

`innovative if not provocative Philosophical Quarterly of Israel, Vol 22, No 3-5 Dec 93

`a marvelously clear and incisive exposition of the problems facing definitions of laws of nature The Philosophical Review, Vol 102, No 3 (July 1993)

`the real excitement and power of the book comes from the new perspective it brings.' Times Higher Education Supplement

`I wholeheartedly recommend this book. There are many things to be learnt from it, not least its incisive criticisms of "more metaphysical" theories of laws. The work is executed with great erudition and panache.' Peter Menzies, Australian National University

Biographie de l'auteur

Bas C. van Fraassen is at Princeton University.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Oxford University Press, USA
• Date d'édition: 1990
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0198248601
• ISBN 13: 9780198248606
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 412
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: Ufficio Anagrafiche Messaggerie; ufficio.anagrafiche@meli.it; ; Via Verdi, 8; Assago Milano; 20090; Italie