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Full Idea
In a 'contrastive' explanation what gets explained is not 'Why this?', but 'Why this rather than that?'. There is a fact and a foil, and one fact may have several foils. Why do leaves turn yellow in November rather than in January?
Gist of Idea
In 'contrastive' explanation there is a fact and a foil - why that fact, rather than this foil?
Source
Peter Lipton (Inference to the Best Explanation (2nd) [2004], 03 'Fact')
Book Ref
Lipton,Peter: 'Inference to the Best Explanation (2nd ed)' [Routledge 2004], p.33
A Reaction
Lipton really likes this, and builds his story around it. Maybe, but it looks to me like an easier step towards a proper explanation. The foils are infinite. Why turn yellow rather than radioactive, insincere, divisible by three, or expensive?