The Philosophy of Science

Episode Synopsis

In lecture seven, we examine three fundamental concepts in philosophy of science: laws of nature, causation, and scientific explanation. We explore competing views on laws of nature, from Humean skepticism treating laws as mere regularities, to universals-based theories, to revived Aristotelian powers. We investigate parallel debates about causation and their role in scientific explanation. The lecture ultimately reveals deep philosophical disagreements about these foundational elements, demonstrating that scientific progress generates rather than eliminates philosophical questions.