Explanation

An explanation is a description which may clarify causes, context, and consequences of a certain object, and a phenomenon such as a process, a state of affairs. This description may establish rules or laws, and may clarify the existing ones in relation to an object, and a phenomenon examined. The components of an explanation can be implicit, and be interwoven with one another.

An explanation is often underpinned by an understanding that is represented by different media such as music, text, and graphics. Thus, an explanation is subjected to interpretation, and discussion.

In scientific research, explanation is one of the purposes of research, e.g.,exploration and description. Explanation is a way to uncover new knowledge,and to report relationships among different aspects of studied phenomena.

Some types of explanations are:

• Deductive-nomological
• Functional
• Historical
• Psychological
• Reductive
• Teleological
• Methodological

See also

• Abductive reasoning
• Cogency
• Epistemology
• Explanandum and Explanans
• Inductive reasoning
• Inquiry
• Knowledge
• Scientific method
• Unexplained
• Rationalization

External links

• Explanat at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Scientific Explanation