Abstract
In Science and Hypothesis Poincaré (1906a, Pt 4, Ch. 11) remarks that if the angular velocities a and the initial longitudes b of the little planets were related by the formula ap + b = q (p and q denoting two constants, p > 0), a ‘miracle’ would occur at time t = p: all the little planets would coalesce at the longitude q (perhaps welding themselves into a big planet). By what argument, asks Poincaré, should we exclude such a ‘ridiculous’ assumption? On the argument of ‘sufficient reason:
It seems to us that there is no sufficient reason by which the unknown cause which has generated [the little planets] has acted according to a law so delicately adjusted that it seems it was chosen on a purpose.
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© 1987 D. Reidel Publishing Company
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de Beauregard, O.C. (1987). Retarded Causality as a Statistical Concept. Arrowless Microcausality. In: Time, The Physical Magnitude. Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol 99. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3811-3_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3811-3_10
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