Author Description
Not all scientific explanations work by describing causal connections between events or the world's overall causal structure. In addition, mathematicians regard some proofs as explaining why the theorems being proved do in fact hold. This book proposes new philosophical accounts of many kinds of non-causal explanations in science and mathematics.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the nature and validity of non-causal explanations in both scientific and mathematical contexts. Marc Lange, a professor of philosophy, challenges the traditional view that all scientific explanations must rely on causal mechanisms. By analyzing diverse examples from physics and mathematics, he constructs a philosophical framework that accounts for how certain non-causal proofs and explanations provide genuine understanding of why phenomena occur or why theorems hold true.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Philosophical analysis of non-causal scientific explanations
- Examination of mathematical proofs that explain rather than merely demonstrate
- Case studies involving physical laws and symmetry principles
- Theoretical frameworks for distinguishing explanatory from non-explanatory proofs
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a comprehensive history of causal theory
- Does not address sociological or psychological aspects of scientific explanation
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts in the philosophy of science recognize this work as a significant contribution to the debate regarding explanatory power outside of causal mechanisms. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for scholars and advanced students of philosophy.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
2016-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190269502
ISBN-13:
9780190269500
Philosophy
Probabilities
Probabilités
Logic
Conditional expectations Mathematics
Philosophie
Philosophy of
Metaphysics
Mathématiques
Epistemology