Nebraska Academy of Sciences
Date of this Version
1981
Abstract
The standard covering-law model of explanation sets forth a formal, deductive account of explanation. The account faces two kinds of formal objections. The fist is the problem of explanatory relevance. This concerns the specification of formal conditions for relevant logical derivations. The second difficulty is the problem of "self"-explanation. This involves specifications which govern the role that a given statement is allowed to play in an explanatory deduction of itself. A revision of the standard covering-law model provides a natural way to avoid both of these problems. And, it also has the virtue of not being an ad hoc solution.
Comments
1981. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences, IX:91-94. Copyright © 1981 Kraemer