Single Idea 6752

[catalogued under 14. Science / D. Explanation / 1. Explanation / a. Explanation]

Full Idea

There is an 'objective', non-epistemic component to explanations, consisting of the things that must exist for A to be able to explain B, and the relations those things have to one another.

Clarification

'Epistemic' components concern how we know things

Gist of Idea

The objective component of explanations is the things that must exist for the explanation

Source

Alexander Bird (Philosophy of Science [1998], Ch.2)

Book Reference

Bird,Alexander: 'Philosophy of Science' [UCL Press 2000], p.64


A Reaction

There seems to be some question-begging here, in that you have to decide what explanation you are after before you can decide which existences are of interest. There are objective facts, though, about what causally links to what.