Four Decades of Scientific Explanation

By Wesley C. Salmon

As Aristotle stated, scientific explanation is based on deductive argument--yet, Wesley C. Salmon points out, not all deductive arguments are qualified explanations. The validity of the explanation must itself be examined. Four Decades of Scientific Explanation provides a comprehensive account of the developments in scientific explanation that transpired in the last four decades of the twentieth century. It continues to stand as the most comprehensive treatment of the writings on the subject during these years. Building on the historic 1948 essay by Carl G. Hempel and Paul Oppenheim, \u0022Studies in the Logic of Explanation, \u201d which introduced the deductive-nomological (D-N) model on which most work on scientific explanation was based for the following four decades, Salmon goes beyond this model's inherent basis of describing empirical knowledge to tells us \u201cnot only what, but also why.\u201d Salmon examines the predominant models in chronological order and describes their development, refinement, and criticism or rejection. Four Decades of Scientific Explanation underscores the need for a consensus of approach and ongoing evaluations of methodology in scientific explanation, with the goal of providing a better understanding of natural phenomena.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822959267
• ISBN13: 9780822959267
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Interesting But Technical

An interesting historically oriented survey of the topic of scientific explanation. The author is a noted philosopher of science and the text is a mixture of historical review, analysis, and his own personal perspective. Written well but the level of discussion is often fairly technical with appeals to formal logic and clearly aimed at a relatively specialized audience. Salmon's starting point is an important essay on scientific explanation published by Hempel and Oppenheim in the late 1940s. These authors' deductive logic based approach became the standard account. Salmon then goes on to discuss criticisms of the standard account and subsequent attempts to produce a satisfactory account of scientific explanation. Salmon deals at length with a series of fairly difficult issues. How to deal with probablistic as opposed to deterministic processes. Is scientific explanation about logically subsuming phenomena under general laws or about tracing specific mechanisms? What constitutes a scientific law? What is the nature of explanation in general? How do these questions touch on issues of scientific realism? The individual discussions are very good, though somewhat intellectually demanding.

Great intro to scientific explanation

Salmon's book traces the major debates about scientific explanation in the philosophy of science for the timespan of (roughy) 1948 to 1988. It's a great little guide for graduate students (or rusty faculty) interested in P of S. It does assume some familiarity with formal logic and philosophic vocabulary, so it may not be for the beginner... but Salmon's writing is clear and understandble, with a good amount of sign-posting. And, it has a very useful chronological bibliography at the back.