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Full Idea
Perhaps we should think of probabilities in terms of propensities rather than frequencies.
Gist of Idea
Think of probabilities in terms of propensities rather than frequencies
Source
Wesley Salmon (Four Decades of Scientific Explanation [1989], 3.2)
Book Ref
Salmon,Wesley C.: 'Four Decades of Scientific Explanation', ed/tr. Humphreys,Paul [Pittsburgh 2006], p.74
A Reaction
[He cites Coffa 1974 for this] I find this suggestion very appealing, as it connects up with dispositions and powers, which I take to be the building blocks of all explanation. It is, of course, easier to render frequencies numerically.
| 13056 | Statistical explanation needs relevance, not high probability [Salmon] |
| 13057 | Think of probabilities in terms of propensities rather than frequencies [Salmon] |
| 13060 | Can events whose probabilities are low be explained? [Salmon] |
| 16274 | If the well-ordering of a pack of cards was by shuffling, the explanation would make it more surprising [Lewis] |
| 16840 | To maximise probability, don't go beyond your data [Lipton] |
| 6756 | Probabilistic-statistical explanations don't entail the explanandum, but makes it more likely [Bird] |
| 6760 | An operation might reduce the probability of death, yet explain a death [Bird] |