Single Idea 18488

[catalogued under 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 8. Facts / a. Facts]

Full Idea

If one were asked 'What makes salt soluble in water?', the most natural answer would be something of the style 'The fact that it has such-and-such structure'.

Gist of Idea

We normally explain natural events by citing further facts

Source

Ian McFetridge (Truth, Correspondence, Explanation and Knowledge [1977], II)

Book Reference

McFetridge,Ian G.: 'Logical Necessity' [Aristotelian Soc 1990], p.39


A Reaction

Personally I would want to talk about its 'powers' (dispositional properties), rather than its 'structure' (categorical properties). This defends facts, but you could easily paraphrase 'fact' out of this reply (as McFetridge realised).