Single Idea 16822

[catalogued under 14. Science / D. Explanation / 1. Explanation / b. Aims of explanation]

Full Idea

One of the points of our obsessive search for explanations is that this is a peculiarly effective way of discovering the structure of the world.

Gist of Idea

Seaching for explanations is a good way to discover the structure of the world

Source

Peter Lipton (Inference to the Best Explanation (2nd) [2004], 04 'Attractions')

Book Reference

Lipton,Peter: 'Inference to the Best Explanation (2nd ed)' [Routledge 2004], p.66


A Reaction

This remark is a nice corrective to the sceptical view that explanations are entirely subjective, pragmatic, and even conventional. Whether this means that there are 'real' and 'objective' explanations is another matter.

Related Idea

Idea 18860 A truthmaker is the minimal portion of reality that will do the job [Tallant]