The role of unification in micro-explanations of physical laws
- Author
- Erik Weber (UGent) and Merel Lefevere (UGent)
- Organization
- Abstract
- In the literature on scientific explanation, there is a classical distinction between explanations of particular facts and explanations of laws. This paper is about explanations of laws, more specifically about microexplanations of laws in physics. We investigate whether providing unificatory information has a surplus value in micro-explanations of physical laws. Unificatory information is information that provides ontological unification in the sense defined by Uskali Maki. We argue that providing unificatory information may lead to explanations with more explanatory power (we use Jim Woodward's concept of explanatory power for that) and that it may lead to more strongly supported explanations.
- Keywords
- causal mechanisms, MECHANISMS, explanation of laws, explanatory virtues, unification
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-4265612
- MLA
- Weber, Erik, and Merel Lefevere. “The Role of Unification in Micro-Explanations of Physical Laws.” THEORIA-REVISTA DE TEORIA HISTORIA Y FUNDAMENTOS DE LA CIENCIA, vol. 79, no. 1, 2014, pp. 41–56, doi:10.1387/theoria.7054.
- APA
- Weber, E., & Lefevere, M. (2014). The role of unification in micro-explanations of physical laws. THEORIA-REVISTA DE TEORIA HISTORIA Y FUNDAMENTOS DE LA CIENCIA, 79(1), 41–56. https://doi.org/10.1387/theoria.7054
- Chicago author-date
- Weber, Erik, and Merel Lefevere. 2014. “The Role of Unification in Micro-Explanations of Physical Laws.” THEORIA-REVISTA DE TEORIA HISTORIA Y FUNDAMENTOS DE LA CIENCIA 79 (1): 41–56. https://doi.org/10.1387/theoria.7054.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Weber, Erik, and Merel Lefevere. 2014. “The Role of Unification in Micro-Explanations of Physical Laws.” THEORIA-REVISTA DE TEORIA HISTORIA Y FUNDAMENTOS DE LA CIENCIA 79 (1): 41–56. doi:10.1387/theoria.7054.
- Vancouver
- 1.Weber E, Lefevere M. The role of unification in micro-explanations of physical laws. THEORIA-REVISTA DE TEORIA HISTORIA Y FUNDAMENTOS DE LA CIENCIA. 2014;79(1):41–56.
- IEEE
- [1]E. Weber and M. Lefevere, “The role of unification in micro-explanations of physical laws,” THEORIA-REVISTA DE TEORIA HISTORIA Y FUNDAMENTOS DE LA CIENCIA, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 41–56, 2014.
@article{4265612,
abstract = {{In the literature on scientific explanation, there is a classical distinction between explanations of particular facts and explanations of laws. This paper is about explanations of laws, more specifically about microexplanations of laws in physics. We investigate whether providing unificatory information has a surplus value in micro-explanations of physical laws. Unificatory information is information that provides ontological unification in the sense defined by Uskali Maki. We argue that providing unificatory information may lead to explanations with more explanatory power (we use Jim Woodward's concept of explanatory power for that) and that it may lead to more strongly supported explanations.}},
author = {{Weber, Erik and Lefevere, Merel}},
issn = {{0495-4548}},
journal = {{THEORIA-REVISTA DE TEORIA HISTORIA Y FUNDAMENTOS DE LA CIENCIA}},
keywords = {{causal mechanisms,MECHANISMS,explanation of laws,explanatory virtues,unification}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{41--56}},
title = {{The role of unification in micro-explanations of physical laws}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.1387/theoria.7054}},
volume = {{79}},
year = {{2014}},
}
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