Reutlinger, Alexander (2016) Does the Counterfactual Theory of Explanation Apply to Non-Causal Explanations in Metaphysics? [Preprint]
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Abstract
In the recent philosophy of explanation, a growing attention to and discussion of non-causal explanations has emerged, as there seem to be compelling examples of non-causal explanations in the sciences, in pure mathematics, and in metaphysics. I defend the claim that the counterfactual theory of explanation (CTE) captures the explanatory character of both non-causal scientific and metaphysical explanations. According to the CTE, scientific and metaphysical explanations are explanatory by virtue of revealing counterfactual dependencies between the explanandum and the explanans. I support this claim by illustrating that CTE is applicable to Euler’s explanation (an example of a non-causal scientific explanation) and Loewer’s explanation (an example of a non-causal metaphysical explanation).
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| Item Type: | Preprint | ||||||
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| Additional Information: | forthcoming in European Journal for Philosophy of Science | ||||||
| Keywords: | scientific explanation, non-causal explanation, metaphysical explanation, mathematical explanation, grounding | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Causation General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Laws of Nature General Issues > Models and Idealization |
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| Depositing User: | Alexander Reutlinger | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 18 Jul 2016 13:31 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 18 Jul 2016 13:31 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 12291 | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Causation General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Laws of Nature General Issues > Models and Idealization |
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| Date: | July 2016 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12291 |
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