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2 ideas
14569 | It is tempting to think that only entailment provides a full explanation [Mumford/Anjum] |
Full Idea: It is tempting to think that entailment is the only adequate kind of explanation because of the idea that if A does not entail B, it must have fallen short of (fully) explaining it. | |
From: S.Mumford/R.Lill Anjum (Getting Causes from Powers [2011], 6.5) | |
A reaction: Yes. One might dream of saying 'this, and only this, necessitates what happened', but it is doubtful whether causes necessitate effects. It is a quirky view to think that every car accident is necessitated. Nuclear explosions block most events. |
14568 | A structure won't give a causal explanation unless we know the powers of the structure [Mumford/Anjum] |
Full Idea: Knowing the structure that something has does not in itself causally explain that thing's behaviour unless we also know what sorts of behaviour a thing of that structure can cause. | |
From: S.Mumford/R.Lill Anjum (Getting Causes from Powers [2011], 6.2) | |
A reaction: I agree with this. If you focus on the lowest possible levels of causal explanation, I can see only powers. Whatever you come up with, it had better be something active. Geometry never started any bonfires. |