Abstract

ABOITES, Gilberto; RODRIGUEZ-YANEZ, Andrea  and  ABOITES, Vicente. Ceteris Paribus Laws and the Concept of Capacity in the Philosophy of Science of Nancy Cartwright. Rev. filos.open insight [online]. 2022, vol.13, n.27, pp.59-73.  Epub June 20, 2022. ISSN 2395-8936.  https://doi.org/10.23924/oi.v12i27.512.

A brief introduction to Nancy Cartwright’s philosophy of science is presented along with an analysis of several of her thoughtful and controversial views. Nancy Cartwright came to revolutionize the philosophy of science by presenting original and provocative philosophical positions using specific concepts such as: capacity, ceteris paribus laws, nomological machines, among others. In this article it is shown that some of nature fundamental conservation laws, such as energy, momentum and angular momentum, cannot be ceteris paribus. Also, it is discussed among other quantum mechanical examples, the application of the concept of capacity to Coulomb interactions and Bohr quantum mechanics postulates for the hydrogen atom.

Keywords : Capacities; ceteris paribus laws; Nancy Cartwright; philosophy of science; quantum mechanics.