1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910785459703321

Autore

Ellis B. D (Brian David), <1929-, >

Titolo

The philosophy of nature : a guide to the new essentialism / / Brian Ellis

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Abingdon, Oxon : , : Routledge, , 2014

ISBN

1-317-48949-7

1-317-48950-0

1-315-71062-5

1-282-92142-8

9786612921421

1-84465-341-2

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (v, 185 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Disciplina

113

Soggetti

Philosophy of nature

Essentialism (Philosophy)

Necessity (Philosophy)

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

First published 2002 by Acumen.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Cover; Half Title; Title; Copyright; Contents; Introduction; 1 Essentialist Philosophies of Nature; 2 Empiricist and Realist Perspectives on the World; 3 Properties and Relations; 4 Powers and Dispositions; 5 Laws of Nature; 6 Natural Necessity; 7 Philosophical Implications; 8 Wider Implications; Appendix; Two Problems for Essentialism; Response to Armstrong; Bibliography; Index

Sommario/riassunto

In The Philosophy of Nature, Brian Ellis provides a clear and forthright general summation of, and introduction to, the new essentialist position. Although the theory that the laws of nature are immanent in things, rather than imposed on them from without, is an ancient one, much recent work has been done to revive interest in essentialism and The Philosophy of Nature is a distinctive contribution to this lively current debate. Brian Ellis exposes the philosophical and scientific credentials of the prevailing Humean metaphysic as less than compelling and makes the case for new essentialism as an alternative metaphysical perspective in lucid and unambiguous terms. The book



develops this alternative metaphysic and considers the consequences for philosophy, and for some other areas of investigation, of working with such a metaphysic. Ellis argues that these consequences are profound and that a new essentialism provides a comprehensive new philosophy of nature for a modern scientific understanding of the world.