Full Idea
The 'symmetry thesis' holds that there is only a pragmatic, or epistemic, but no logical, difference between explaining and predicting. …The only difference is in what the producer of the deduction knows just before the deduction is produced.
Gist of Idea
The 'symmetry thesis' says explanation and prediction only differ pragmatically
Source
David-Hillel Ruben (Explaining Explanation [1990], Ch 4)
Book Reference
Ruben,David-Hillel: 'Explaining Explanation' [Routledge 1990], p.124
A Reaction
He cites Mill has holding this view. It seems elementary to me that I can explain something but not predict it, or predict it but not explain it. The latter case is just Humean habitual induction.