Ideas from 'Mechanism, purpose and explan. exclusion' by Jaegwon Kim [1989], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Supervenience and Mind' by Kim,Jaegwon [CUP 1993,0-521-43996-5]].

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14. Science / D. Explanation / 1. Explanation / a. Explanation
Explanatory exclusion: there cannot be two separate complete explanations of a single event
                        Full Idea: The general principle of explanatory exclusion states that two or more complete and independent explanations of the same event or phenomenon cannot coexist.
                        From: Jaegwon Kim (Mechanism, purpose and explan. exclusion [1989], 3)
                        A reaction: This is a rather optimistic view of explanations, with a strong element of reality involved. I would have thought there were complete explanations at different 'levels', which were complementary to one another.