The Necessity of Naturalness

Joshua D. K. Brown; Nathan Wildman

doi:10.1007/s10670-022-00567-1

The Necessity of Naturalness

Joshua D. K. Brown^*, Nathan Wildman

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

76 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Are properties perfectly natural (or not) relative to worlds, or are they perfectly natural (or not) tout court? That is, could there be a property P that is instantiated at worlds w1 and w2, and is perfectly natural at w1 but not at w2? Here, we offer an original argument for the non-world-relativity of perfect naturalness. Along the way, we reply to a prima facie compelling argument for the contingency of perfect naturalness, based upon the connection between natural properties and laws of nature.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1017-1025
Number of pages	9
Journal	Erkenntnis
Volume	89
Early online date	19 May 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-022-00567-1
Publication status	Published - 2024

Keywords

Naturalness
Non-world-relativity
Natural properties
Laws of nature

Access to Document

10.1007/s10670-022-00567-1

Necessity of NaturalnessFinal published version, 543 KBLicence: Taverne

Cite this

@article{0aebdf8820d4449eba022e830faa8845,

title = "The Necessity of Naturalness",

abstract = "Are properties perfectly natural (or not) relative to worlds, or are they perfectly natural (or not) tout court? That is, could there be a property P that is instantiated at worlds w1 and w2, and is perfectly natural at w1 but not at w2? Here, we offer an original argument for the non-world-relativity of perfect naturalness. Along the way, we reply to a prima facie compelling argument for the contingency of perfect naturalness, based upon the connection between natural properties and laws of nature.",

keywords = "Naturalness, Non-world-relativity, Natural properties, Laws of nature",

author = "Brown, {Joshua D. K.} and Nathan Wildman",

year = "2024",

doi = "10.1007/s10670-022-00567-1",

language = "English",

volume = "89",

pages = "1017--1025",

journal = "Erkenntnis",

issn = "0165-0106",

publisher = "Springer Netherlands",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Necessity of Naturalness

AU - Brown, Joshua D. K.

AU - Wildman, Nathan

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Are properties perfectly natural (or not) relative to worlds, or are they perfectly natural (or not) tout court? That is, could there be a property P that is instantiated at worlds w1 and w2, and is perfectly natural at w1 but not at w2? Here, we offer an original argument for the non-world-relativity of perfect naturalness. Along the way, we reply to a prima facie compelling argument for the contingency of perfect naturalness, based upon the connection between natural properties and laws of nature.

AB - Are properties perfectly natural (or not) relative to worlds, or are they perfectly natural (or not) tout court? That is, could there be a property P that is instantiated at worlds w1 and w2, and is perfectly natural at w1 but not at w2? Here, we offer an original argument for the non-world-relativity of perfect naturalness. Along the way, we reply to a prima facie compelling argument for the contingency of perfect naturalness, based upon the connection between natural properties and laws of nature.

KW - Naturalness

KW - Non-world-relativity

KW - Natural properties

KW - Laws of nature

U2 - 10.1007/s10670-022-00567-1

DO - 10.1007/s10670-022-00567-1

M3 - Article

SN - 0165-0106

VL - 89

SP - 1017

EP - 1025

JO - Erkenntnis

JF - Erkenntnis

ER -

The Necessity of Naturalness

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this