This book investigates the nature of metaphysical explanation as it is understood and utilized in ordinary, non-academic contexts. Authors Kristie Miller and James Norton, both established philosophers, leverage empirical data regarding folk intuitions to bridge the gap between formal metaphysical theory and common linguistic practice. By analyzing how individuals naturally seek and provide explanations for the world around them, the authors construct a robust framework that formalizes these everyday cognitive habits.

Experts in the field recognize this work as a significant contribution to the intersection of experimental philosophy and traditional metaphysics. Readers frequently note the clarity of the prose, which makes complex conceptual distinctions accessible to those interested in the cognitive foundations of philosophical inquiry.