more from Donald Davidson

Single Idea 8347

[catalogued under 14. Science / D. Explanation / 1. Explanation / a. Explanation]

Full Idea

Explanations typically relate statements, not events.

Gist of Idea

Explanations typically relate statements, not events

Source

Donald Davidson (Causal Relations [1967], §4)

Book Reference

Davidson,Donald: 'Essays on Actions and Events' [OUP 1982], p.161


A Reaction

An oddly linguistic way of putting our attempts to understand the world. Presumably the statements are supposed to be about the events (or whatever), and they are supposed to be true, so we are trying to relate features of the world.