Explanations, Tests, Unity and Necessity

Citation: Clark Glymour (1980) Explanations, Tests, Unity and Necessity. Noûs, Vol. 14, No. 1 (RSS)
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Summary

In the process to explain a phenomenon, there are hypothesis, theory (or principle) and verification procedures of both hypothesis and theory based on tests. We know that common set of theories can be applied and used to explain of diverse circumstance. For example, Newtonian gravitational theory can account lots of regularities such as Galileo’s law of falling bodies, the law of the pendulum and Kepler’s laws. To make or set up reasonable hypothesis of theory, verification procedures should be needed. The author suggests that main two factors of conditions to make the hypothesis plausible which are explanation of theory, and test (additionally, evidence). We can confirm this pattern in the example of geocentric theory and heliocentric theory. Ptolemy didn’t have any explanation and process of test of his hypothesis which was made based on his observation. In the other hand, Copernicus which accepted as established theory had a neat explanation about relationship between movement of the sun and the Earth’s motion and it can even explain Ptolemy’s assertion reducing the Ptolemaic regularity with three principles. Copernicus also had tested his hypothesis using similar case of Jupiter.

According to the author, we believe scientific theories based on two kinds of reasons: reasons given by the explanations theories have provided and reasons given by the tests the theories have survived, so those two reasons are connected each other and often accompany one another. And he says that understanding is the recognition of a pattern, and the explanation is the demonstration of phenomena as well as it indicates common pattern.

He mentions about the characteristic of explanation. One type of explanation should be complete and satisfying like mathematical formula or equation-but real mathematical and logical truths require no explanation-. If the explanation come from patterns, the there is nothing about the hypotheses. There are two ways of explanation, unification and confirmation. To unify is to generate diverse regularities from a single scheme. Friedman emphasised the importance of the unification which is the notion of independent acceptability so that it can encompass other laws. Confirmation is obtained only when examples of the hypothesis to be confirmed are obtained and the theory can succeed by its own power in confirmation. And the good theory is depending on the tightness of linkages with evidence.