The essays in this volume of the Australasian Studies in History and Philosophy of Science series are devoted to the subjects of natural kinds, scientific methodology and laws of nature. There is a multiplicity of interconnections to be found between the various issues that arise under these broad subjects. Examples of these issues include: the nature of physical laws; the basic entities that we can expect the world to consist of; the problem of induction; the aim(s) of science; the discovery of natural laws through scientific methods; natural necessity and its status; etc. Each contribution to this volume highlights one or more aspects of the interconnecting themes. Although natural kinds and their associated topics have been discussed elsewhere, the essays in this volume extend the scope of related issues and also offer new insight into some of the traditional problems in the philosophy of science.
