Single Idea 14470

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

Full Idea

The general principle of explanatory exclusion states that two or more complete and independent explanations of the same event or phenomenon cannot coexist.

Gist of Idea

Explanatory exclusion: there cannot be two separate complete explanations of a single event

Source

Jaegwon Kim (Mechanism, purpose and explan. exclusion [1989], 3)

Book Reference

Kim,Jaegwon: 'Supervenience and Mind' [CUP 1993], p.250


A Reaction

This is a rather optimistic view of explanations, with a strong element of reality involved. I would have thought there were complete explanations at different 'levels', which were complementary to one another.