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    Regularities presuppose nomological necessity, but random... — Carmelics
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    Supports→The Neo-Epicurean explanation that the cosmos's existence and design arose from the random play of physical atoms is untenable.

    Regularities presuppose nomological necessity, but random atomic collisions generate only contingent patterns, leaving the uniformity of nature inexplicable on Neo-Epicurean grounds.

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    Key Terms

    Atomic collisions(as used in philosophy of science)
    Random impacts between tiny particles of matter; in this context, the idea that everything in nature originates from chance interactions between atoms.
    Neo-Epicureanism(as used in history of philosophy)
    A modern version of the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus's ideas, which explained the world as arising from random collisions of tiny particles rather than from design or purpose.
    Regularities(the predictable patterns in nature being compared across worlds)
    Patterns that repeat consistently, like the sun rising every day or water boiling at a certain temperature.
    contingent(De Interpretatione 12–13)
    Equated with 'possible'; on the two-sided interpretation, contingency excludes necessity (possibility implies non-necessity).

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    nomological necessity(Distinguished from stronger modal notions of necessity in the context of supervenience)
    A form of necessity that holds in virtue of laws of nature rather than logical or metaphysical necessity.
    uniformity of nature(Central presupposition in Hume's problem of induction)
    The assumption that the future will resemble the past — i.e., that natural regularities observed historically will continue to hold — which is presupposed in all inductive knowledge but cannot be rationally grounded without circularity

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