Ideas from 'Four Decades of Scientific Explanation' by Wesley Salmon [1989], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Four Decades of Scientific Explanation' by Salmon,Wesley C. (ed/tr Humphreys,Paul) [Pittsburgh 2006,0-8229-5926-7]].

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11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 2. Understanding

13047

It is knowing 'why' that gives scientific understanding, not knowing 'that'

13065

Understanding is an extremely vague concept

14. Science / A. Basis of Science / 4. Prediction

13054

Correlations can provide predictions, but only causes can give explanations

14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 3. Instrumentalism

13067

For the instrumentalists there are no scientific explanations

14. Science / C. Induction / 4. Reason in Induction

13055

Good induction needs 'total evidence' - the absence at the time of any undermining evidence

14. Science / D. Explanation / 1. Explanation / b. Aims of explanation

13046

Scientific explanation is not reducing the unfamiliar to the familiar

13058

Why-questions can seek evidence as well as explanation

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / a. Types of explanation

13050

The 'inferential' conception is that all scientific explanations are arguments

13059

Ontic explanations can be facts, or reports of facts

13064

The three basic conceptions of scientific explanation are modal, epistemic, and ontic

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / e. Lawlike explanations

13049

We must distinguish true laws because they (unlike accidental generalizations) explain things

13051

Deductive-nomological explanations will predict, and their predictions will explain

13053

A law is not enough for explanation - we need information about what makes a difference

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / g. Causal explanations

13061

Flagpoles explain shadows, and not vice versa, because of temporal ordering

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / i. Explanations by mechanism

13045

Explanation at the quantum level will probably be by entirely new mechanisms

13062

Does an item have a function the first time it occurs?

13063

Explanations reveal the mechanisms which produce the facts

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / l. Probabilistic explanations

13060

Can events whose probabilities are low be explained?

13056

Statistical explanation needs relevance, not high probability

13057

Think of probabilities in terms of propensities rather than frequencies