Full Idea
Explicating a phenomenon is to deduce it from something else in nature more known to us than the thing to be explained by it.
Gist of Idea
Explanation is deducing a phenomenon from some nature better known to us
Source
Robert Boyle (The Origin of Forms and Qualities [1666], p.46?), quoted by Peter Alexander - Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles
Book Reference
Alexander,Peter: 'Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles' [CUP 1985], p.59
A Reaction
Interesting that the word 'deduce' is here, beloved of the 'covering law' view. But this may be deduced from the behaviour of other substances, as the iron filing behaviour may be explained by the magnet itself (or perhaps 'laws' of magnetism).
Related Idea
Idea 17075 Scientific explanation tends to reduce things to the unfamiliar (not the familiar) [Smart]