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Structural Invariants, Structural Kinds, Structural Laws

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Book cover Probabilities, Laws, and Structures

Part of the book series: The Philosophy of Science in a European Perspective ((PSEP,volume 3))

Abstract

The paper has three parts. In the first part ExtOSR, an extended version of Ontic Structural Realism, will be introduced. ExtOSR considers structural properties as ontological primitives, where structural properties are understood as comprising both relational and structurally derived intrinsic properties or structure invariants. It is argued that ExtOSR is best suited to accommodate gauge symmetry invariants and zero value properties. In the second part, ExtOSR will be given a Humean shape by considering structures as categorical and global. It will be laid out how such structures serve to reconstruct non-essential structural kinds and laws. In the third part Humean structural realism will be defended against the threat of quidditism.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philosophy Department, University of Magdeburg, 4120, D-39016, Magdeburg, Germany

    Holger Lyre

Authors
  1. Holger Lyre
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Correspondence to Holger Lyre .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Budapestlaan 6, Utrecht, 3584 CD, Netherlands

    Dennis Dieks

  2. , Faculty of Humanities, University of A Coruña, Dr. Vazquez Cabrera street, w/n, Ferrol, 15.403, Spain

    Wenceslao J. Gonzalez

  3. PO Box 90153, Tilburg, 5000 LE, Netherlands

    Stephan Hartmann

  4. University of South Carolina, Columbia, 29214, South Carolina, USA

    Michael Stöltzner

  5. University of Geneva, Geneva, 14456, Germany

    Marcel Weber

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Lyre, H. (2012). Structural Invariants, Structural Kinds, Structural Laws. In: Dieks, D., Gonzalez, W., Hartmann, S., Stöltzner, M., Weber, M. (eds) Probabilities, Laws, and Structures. The Philosophy of Science in a European Perspective, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3030-4_12

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