Single Idea 17089

[catalogued under 14. Science / D. Explanation / 4. Explanation Doubts / a. Explanation as pragmatic]

Full Idea

Facts explain facts only when the features and the individuals the facts are about are appropriately conceptualized or named.

Gist of Idea

Facts explain facts, but only if they are conceptualised or named appropriately

Source

David-Hillel Ruben (Explaining Explanation [1990], Ch 5)

Book Reference

Ruben,David-Hillel: 'Explaining Explanation' [Routledge 1990], p.180


A Reaction

He has a nice example that 'Cicero's speeches stop in 43 BCE' isn't explained by 'Tully died then', if you don't know that Cicero was Tully. Ruben is not defending pragmatic explanation, but to this extent he must be right.