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On Explanations in Physics: Sketch of an Alternative to Hempel's Account of the Explanation of Laws

Authors :
Jon Dorling
Source :
Philosophy of Science. 45:136-140
Publication Year :
1978
Publisher :
Cambridge University Press (CUP), 1978.

Abstract

In pursuing philosophical enquiries in the foundations of physics, I have found myself operating with a concept of explanation which has a quite different logical syntax from the concept which Hempel has explicated. I suspect that the concept of explanation I operate with is not especially idiosyncratic, is not fully captured in the existing philosophical literature (though I am open to correction here), and that it may be the more appropriate concept if we are to consider explanation as the goal of physics. I therefore propose to give here a short account of the structure of this alternative concept of explanation.

Details

ISSN :
1539767X and 00318248
Volume :
45
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Philosophy of Science
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........1d14410f34191b0b62a879f226fc240f
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1086/288785