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Full Idea
A 'contrastive explanation' explains why one thing happened but not another.
Gist of Idea
Contrastive explanations say why one thing happened but not another
Source
Alexander Bird (Philosophy of Science [1998], Ch.2)
Book Ref
Bird,Alexander: 'Philosophy of Science' [UCL Press 2000], p.78
A Reaction
If I explain why the ship sank, is this contrastive, or just causal, or both? Am I explaining why it sank rather than turned into a giraffe? An interesting concept, but I can't see myself making use of it.
16816 | In 'contrastive' explanation there is a fact and a foil - why that fact, rather than this foil? [Lipton] |
16826 | With too many causes, find a suitable 'foil' for contrast, and the field narrows right down [Lipton] |
6761 | Contrastive explanations say why one thing happened but not another [Bird] |
17308 | Explaining 'Adam ate the apple' depends on emphasis, and thus implies a contrast [Schaffer,J] |