We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
To save content items to your account,
please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies.
If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account.
Find out more about saving content to .
To save content items to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected]
is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings
on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part
of your Kindle email address below.
Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations.
‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi.
‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
In Chapter 2 I examine what appears to be a violation of the invariance of laws. Generalisations typically concern the behaviour of isolated systems, while explanations, confirmations, manipulations and predictions concern non-isolated systems. Ceteris paribus clauses, which are often attached to law statements, take account of the fact that systems are typically not on their own. Systems are interacted on and interfered with by other systems – they are not invariant with respect to the behaviour of other systems. Understanding how ceteris paribus clauses work helps us to understand why we can explain, confirm or manipulate the behaviour of systems that are parts of a larger whole. Analysis of the role of these clauses shows that we need to read laws (generalisations) as attributing multi-track dispositional properties to systems. The argument relies on an analysis of scientific practice only and is not committed to more far-reaching claims that are common in the metaphysics of science literature. There is no need to assume a sui generis conception of dispositional modality. I will argue that the modal aspects of dispositions can be explicated in terms of invariance relations.
Recommend this
Email your librarian or administrator to recommend adding this to your organisation's collection.