more on this theme     |     more from this thinker     |     more from this text

---

Single Idea 9658

[filed under theme 14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / g. Causal explanations ]

Full Idea

An explanation, I think, is an account of etiology: it tells us something about how an event was caused.

Clarification

Greek 'aitia' means 'cause'

Gist of Idea

An explanation tells us how an event was caused

Source

David Lewis (On the Plurality of Worlds [1986], 1.5)

Book Ref

Lewis,David: 'On the Plurality of Worlds' [Blackwell 2001], p.73

---

A Reaction

Will this cover mathematical explanations? Numbers would have to have causal powers.