Against Mathematical Explanation

Author: Zelcer Mark  

Publisher: Springer Publishing Company

ISSN: 0925-4560

Source: Journal for General Philosophy of Science, Vol.44, Iss.1, 2013-07, pp. : 173-192

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

Lately, philosophers of mathematics have been exploring the notion of mathematical explanation within mathematics. This project is supposed to be analogous to the search for the correct analysis of scientific explanation. I argue here that given the way philosophers have been using “explanation,” the term is not applicable to mathematics as it is in science.