Theories of Scientific Explanation

Abstract

In this chapter we first summarize the ideas of Carl Hempel, the godfather of this subdomain of the philosophy of science (Sect. 1.2). Then we present the problems that other philosophers have raised in connection with Hempel’s theory of explanation (Sect. 1.3). Subsequently, we clarify how the major research traditions in the field that have emerged after Hempel, can be seen as different reactions to these problems (Sect. 1.4). Finally, we discuss two of these reactions in more detail: Philip Kitcher’s unification account in Sect. 1.5 and Wesley Salmon’s causal-mechanical account in Sect. 1.6.