Ideas from 'Four Decades of Scientific Explanation' by Wesley Salmon [1989], by Theme Structure
[found in 'Four Decades of Scientific Explanation' by Salmon,Wesley C. (ed/tr Humphreys,Paul) [Pittsburgh 2006,0-8229-5926-7]].
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11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 2. Understanding
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Understanding is an extremely vague concept
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It is knowing 'why' that gives scientific understanding, not knowing 'that'
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14. Science / A. Basis of Science / 4. Prediction
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Correlations can provide predictions, but only causes can give explanations
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14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 3. Instrumentalism
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For the instrumentalists there are no scientific explanations
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14. Science / C. Induction / 4. Reason in Induction
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Good induction needs 'total evidence' - the absence at the time of any undermining evidence
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 1. Explanation / b. Aims of explanation
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Scientific explanation is not reducing the unfamiliar to the familiar
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Why-questions can seek evidence as well as explanation
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / a. Types of explanation
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The 'inferential' conception is that all scientific explanations are arguments
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Ontic explanations can be facts, or reports of facts
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The three basic conceptions of scientific explanation are modal, epistemic, and ontic
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / e. Lawlike explanations
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We must distinguish true laws because they (unlike accidental generalizations) explain things
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Deductive-nomological explanations will predict, and their predictions will explain
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A law is not enough for explanation - we need information about what makes a difference
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / g. Causal explanations
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Flagpoles explain shadows, and not vice versa, because of temporal ordering
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / i. Explanations by mechanism
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Explanation at the quantum level will probably be by entirely new mechanisms
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Does an item have a function the first time it occurs?
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Explanations reveal the mechanisms which produce the facts
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / l. Probabilistic explanations
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Can events whose probabilities are low be explained?
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Statistical explanation needs relevance, not high probability
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Think of probabilities in terms of propensities rather than frequencies
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