An explanatory mosaic
This chapter sets out the case for recognising the complexity of explanatory pathways, noting how many events in the natural world arise through multiple conjunctive causes. The image of an “explanatory mosaic” is developed to highlight the interconnectedness of such multiple conjunctive causes whil...
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| Format: | Book section |
| Language: | English |
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Routledge
2023
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| _version_ | 1811141099399413760 |
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| author | McGrath, AE |
| author2 | Finnegan, DA |
| author_facet | Finnegan, DA McGrath, AE |
| author_sort | McGrath, AE |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | This chapter sets out the case for recognising the complexity of explanatory pathways, noting how many events in the natural world arise through multiple conjunctive causes. The image of an “explanatory mosaic” is developed to highlight the interconnectedness of such multiple conjunctive causes while at the same time recognising a degree of conceptual fluidity concerning the precise manner of their interaction. This approach counters reductionist attempts to offer a monolithic and restrictive account of the world which limit explanations to a single level or single perspective of engagement. Although the approach is easily applied to the biological and physical sciences, the recognition of causal multiplicity and complexity can be extended both to the theological and related domains, such as the interface of science and religion. Particular attention is paid to the notion of explanation in a religious (specifically a theistic) context. Finally, the article notes the importance of developing a broader intellectual framework which allows individual causal elements to be accommodated and correlated. It is argued that such conjunctive approaches to explanation offer a helpful and plausible way of bringing together what are often fragmented discipline-specific discussions of mechanisms, values and meaning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:51:19Z |
| format | Book section |
| id | oxford-uuid:c92657fd-f441-4813-bf5b-6d8d65bdcf56 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-25T04:32:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Routledge |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:c92657fd-f441-4813-bf5b-6d8d65bdcf562024-08-29T11:57:32ZAn explanatory mosaicBook sectionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_1843uuid:c92657fd-f441-4813-bf5b-6d8d65bdcf56EnglishSymplectic ElementsRoutledge2023McGrath, AEFinnegan, DAGlass, DHLeidenhag, MLivingstone, DNThis chapter sets out the case for recognising the complexity of explanatory pathways, noting how many events in the natural world arise through multiple conjunctive causes. The image of an “explanatory mosaic” is developed to highlight the interconnectedness of such multiple conjunctive causes while at the same time recognising a degree of conceptual fluidity concerning the precise manner of their interaction. This approach counters reductionist attempts to offer a monolithic and restrictive account of the world which limit explanations to a single level or single perspective of engagement. Although the approach is easily applied to the biological and physical sciences, the recognition of causal multiplicity and complexity can be extended both to the theological and related domains, such as the interface of science and religion. Particular attention is paid to the notion of explanation in a religious (specifically a theistic) context. Finally, the article notes the importance of developing a broader intellectual framework which allows individual causal elements to be accommodated and correlated. It is argued that such conjunctive approaches to explanation offer a helpful and plausible way of bringing together what are often fragmented discipline-specific discussions of mechanisms, values and meaning. |
| spellingShingle | McGrath, AE An explanatory mosaic |
| title | An explanatory mosaic |
| title_full | An explanatory mosaic |
| title_fullStr | An explanatory mosaic |
| title_full_unstemmed | An explanatory mosaic |
| title_short | An explanatory mosaic |
| title_sort | explanatory mosaic |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mcgrathae anexplanatorymosaic AT mcgrathae explanatorymosaic |