more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Can events whose probabilities are low be explained?
Gist of Idea
Can events whose probabilities are low be explained?
Source
Wesley Salmon (Four Decades of Scientific Explanation [1989], 3.6)
Book Ref
Salmon,Wesley C.: 'Four Decades of Scientific Explanation', ed/tr. Humphreys,Paul [Pittsburgh 2006], p.103
A Reaction
I take this to be one of the reasons why explanation must ultimately reside at the level of individual objects and events, rather than residing with generalisations and laws.
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] |