Woodward, James (2018) Some Varieties of Non-Causal Explanation. Explanation Beyond Causation. pp. 117-140.

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Abstract

This chapter explores the possibility of weakening the criteria for causal explanation in Making Things Happen (MTH) to yield various forms of non-causal explanation. These include the following: (1) retaining the idea that explanations must answer what if things had been different questions (the w-question requirement) but dropping the requirement the answers to such questions must take the form of claims about what would happen under interventions. (2) Retaining the w- question requirement but allowing generalizations that hold for mathematical or conceptual reasons to figure in explanations. (3) Dropping the w-question requirement to accommodate the role of information about irrelevance in explanation.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Woodward, James jfw@pitt.edu
Keywords:	Explanation, Causation, Explanatory Irrelevance
Subjects:	General Issues > Causation General Issues > Explanation
Depositing User:	Jim Woodward
Date Deposited:	25 Dec 2018 21:41
Last Modified:	25 Dec 2018 21:41
Item ID:	15497
Journal or Publication Title:	Explanation Beyond Causation
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Subjects:	General Issues > Causation General Issues > Explanation
Date:	2018
Page Range:	pp. 117-140
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15497

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