Grounds of Knowledge
Explanation
An account of why something is the case rather than merely that it is. Explanations are judged by more than accuracy: scope, simplicity, fruitfulness and the ability to say what would have happened otherwise all matter, and these criteria can pull against one another.
How claims are supported. These concepts ask what has to be in place before a claim earns the right to be believed, and what the difference is between a reason and a rationalisation.
Situations that raise explanation
All 10 situationsReal cases a class can argue about, where this concept is what is actually at stake.
- The book that named algebraThe Middle East and North Africa
- Move 37East Asia
- Jantar Mantar: architecture as instrumentIndia
- Why did the treasure fleets stop?East Asia
- Binary patterns in Sanskrit prosodyIndia
- Finding the direction of prayerThe Middle East and North Africa
- The ancient theory of why art moves usIndia
- Drumming you can speakIndia