Lawrence Sklar

Tipler has previously argued that the nature of the universe is a matter of contingency rather than necessity. Now he argues that the existence of the universe can also be demonstrated to be a matter of necessity. I argue that both arguments are fatally flawed, and that neither supports the conclusion it is intended to establish.

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Several variant "Newtonian" theories of inertia and gravitation are described, and their scientific usefulness discussed. An examination of these theories is used to throw light on traditional epistemological and metaphysical questions about space and time. Finally these results are examined in the light of the changes induced by the transition from "Newtonian" to general relativistic spacetime

Twelve essays explore the philosophy of science in general and the physical sciences in particular A common theme unites all twelve essays: In discussing the ...

Peer Reviewed.

This chapter contains sections titled: The Metaphysics of Space, Time, and Motion Issues Concerning Explanation Newton's “Rules of Reasoning in Philosophy”