Explanation of physical phenomena by laws of nature
Journal title EPISTEMOLOGIA
Author/s Peter Mittelstaedt
Publishing Year 2012 Issue 2012/2 Language English
Pages 13 P. 234-246 File size 600 KB
DOI 10.3280/EPIS2012-002005
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For an ‘explanation’ of physical facts by laws of nature, we have to establish a relation between physical facts and laws of nature. It is an open question, whether the laws of nature govern the facts with necessity or whether the laws are related to the facts merely by supervenience. In addition, it is not quite clear, whether the known laws of physics describe only artificially simplified cases, e.g. isolated situations, or whether the laws of physics actually grasp real facts. Known solutions of these problems refer to situations where laws of classical physics are applied to phenomena of classical physics. However, if the same laws were applied to matter of facts of the domain of modern physics, then in many cases there would be no ‘explanation’ in the sense mentioned. These new problems can be treated either by additional ‘interpretations’ of the theories in question, or by a radical change of the ontological preconditions of classical physics.
Keywords: Necessity, supervenience, classical physics; modern physics, interpretations, unveiled reality.
Peter Mittelstaedt, Explanation of physical phenomena by laws of nature in "EPISTEMOLOGIA" 2/2012, pp 234-246, DOI: 10.3280/EPIS2012-002005