| Fallacies of Explanation |
|---|
|
An explanation is a form of reasoning which attempts to answer the question "why?" For example, it is with an explanation that we answer questions such as, "Why is the sky blue?"
|
|
A good explanation will be based on a scientific or empirical theory. The explanation of why the sky is blue will be given in terms of the composition of the sky and theories of reflection.
|
|
|
| The following are fallacies of explanation: |
|---|
|
[Subverted Support] (The phenomenon being explained doesn't exist)
[Non-support] (Evidence for the phenomenon being explained is biased)
[Untestability] (The theory which explains cannot be tested)
[Limited Scope] (The theory which explains can only explain one thing)
[Limited Depth] (The theory which explains does not appeal to underlying causes)
|
10 August 1996