Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Front Matter i
2. Contents v
3. Introduction 1
4. Essentialist Philosophies of Nature 9
5. Empiricist and Realist Perspectives on the World 21
6. Properties and Relations 39
7. Powers and Dispositions 59
8. Laws of Nature 81
9. Natural Necessity 103
10. Philosophical Implications 123
11. Wider Implications 145
12. Appendix 167
13. Bibliography 177
14. Index 181