ABSTRACT
In the following sections, we deal with qualitative law hypotheses. In most practically significant cases, these have the following form: a conjunction of several antecedent factors A1x, A2x (}) implies a certain consequent property Cx-either strictly, or with a certain conditional probability. The conjunction of all antecedent factors makes up the complex antecedent predicate A, i.e. Ax def A1xšA2x (š}. Here Aix and Cx stand for literals, i.e. unnegated or negated atomic formulas, whose predicates express qualitative (or nomological) properties. Generalizations of this form will be mentioned briefly. In sec. 4.6 and 5.10.5 we will consider quantitative law hypotheses.
