Because Without Cause - Non-Casual Explanations in Science and Mathematics

Not all scientific explanations work by describing causal connections between events or the world's overall causal structure. In addition, mathematicians regard some proofs as explaining why the theorems being proved do in fact hold. This book proposes new philosophical accounts of many kinds of non-causal explanations in science and mathematics.

About the author

Marc Lange is a philosopher of science. He serves as Chair of the Philosophy Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he is the Theda Perdue Distinguished Professor. His previous books include Laws and Lawmakers (OUP 2009), An Introduction to the Philosophy of Physics: Locality, Fields, Energy, and Mass (2002), and Natural Laws in Scientific Practice (OUP 2000).

Summary

Not all scientific explanations work by describing causal connections between events or the world's overall causal structure. In addition, mathematicians regard some proofs as explaining why the theorems being proved do in fact hold. This book proposes new philosophical accounts of many kinds of non-causal explanations in science and mathematics.

Additional text

The book has plenty to recommend it: broadness of vision and ambition-he covers a lot of ground (both scientific and philosophical)-as well as a wealth of examples (several original, all worked out in detail)... My overall assessment is that this is a substantial book well worth studying. It will elicit interesting debates in the years to come.

Product details

• Authors: Marc Lange, Marc (Chair of the Philosophy Department Lange
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.05.2020
• EAN: 9780197508671
• ISBN: 978-0-19-750867-1
• No. of pages: 514
• Dimensions: 156 mm x 235 mm x 30 mm
• Series: Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Science; OXFORD STUDIES IN PHILOS SCIENCE SERIES; Oxford Studies in Philos Scien
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Mathematics > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; Logik, Wissenschaftsphilosophie und -theorie, PHILOSOPHY / Logic, Philosophy, SCIENCE / Philosophy & Social Aspects, MATHEMATICS / Logic