Psychology Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Explanation: making a statement in relation to an event, a state, a change or an action that was described before by a deviating statement. The statement will often try to involve circumstances, history, logical premises, causes and causality. See also description, statements, theories, understanding, literal truth, best explanation, causality, cause, completeness._____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
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Michael Scriven on Explanation - Dictionary of Arguments
Wright I 156 Explanation/Scriven/Wright, G. H.: The arguments by Scriven and Dray are related to my criticism of the scheme, Scriven uses the successful wording that Hempel's approach "gives the individual case away". (Scriven, p. 467). Scriven: an event can move freely within a network of statistical laws, but is located within the "normic network" and explained by this localization. (Scriven(1), p. 467). >Events, >Statistics, >Laws. - - - Schurz I 229 Explanation/Self-Explanation/Scriven: (Scriven 1959a(1), 468 469): Problem: It often happens that we explain an effect E by a real reason A, but our only reason for believing it is that we have observed the effect. >Causal explanation, >Effect, >Cause. "Self-confirming explanation/self-affirmation/self-justification/ Hempel: (1965(2),372): Ex red shift: is explained by the expansion of the universe, but the only reason to think the hypothesis of expansion is confirmed is the red shift itself. ((s) No "side perspective"). Solution/Schurz: a deductive nomological reason must have a prognostic function. There must be in knowledge W a set of evidences that confirm the antecedent without logically implying the event. This requirement is violated in Ex. Redshift. >Redshift. Chaos/explanation/short: it cannot be predicted when the avalanche will depart, but when it has departed, it can be accurately explained that there was a reduction in friction. ((s) post hoc, post festum). I 230 Relevance/explanation: solution to the problem of irrelevance: "irreducible representation" (without redundant elements). Any law premise must also satisfy the relevance condition. >Relevance. Law/explanation/Schurz/(s): if a law is needed for explanation, it is in the premise. 1. Scriven, M. (1959a). Truisms as Grounds for Historical Explanations. IN: P. Gardiner (ed.) Theories of History, New YOrk, The Free Press. 2. Hempel, C. (1965). Aspects of Scientific Explanation and other Essays in the Philosophy of Science, New York: Free Press._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
WrightCr I Crispin Wright Truth and Objectivity, Cambridge 1992 German Edition: Wahrheit und Objektivität Frankfurt 2001 WrightCr II Crispin Wright "Language-Mastery and Sorites Paradox" In Truth and Meaning, G. Evans/J. McDowell, Oxford 1976 WrightGH I Georg Henrik von Wright Explanation and Understanding, New York 1971 German Edition: Erklären und Verstehen Hamburg 2008 Schu I G. Schurz Einführung in die Wissenschaftstheorie Darmstadt 2006 |
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> Counter arguments against Scriven
> Counter arguments in relation to Explanation
